Columbus police closing Bay Avenue at certain times after shooting death
Bay Avenue, the site of a shooting this month that left a teenager dead, is being closed at a certain time of night on the weekends, according to Columbus Police Department Assistant Chief Lance Deaton.
Deaton told the Ledger-Enquirer CPD has decided to close Bay Avenue at 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
“It does have something to do with that last murder,” he said, “but the reality of it is we’ve had multiple incidents down there that have kind of led to this decision.”
Kalielah Davis, 18, was shot in the head and killed in the 1000 block of Bay Avenue on Sept. 5. Five suspects, ranging in age from 15 to 21, were arrested in connection with the case, CPD announced Sept. 17.
Deaton said police started to see an increase of people gathering in the Bay Avenue area at night after closing times for downtown businesses, restaurants and bars.
CPD places barriers at both entrances to Bay Avenue so cars can’t get to the area during the closure, according to Deaton. He said the Bay Avenue area is closed to vehicles and pedestrians during those times.
No exact time is set for when Bay Avenue reopens on the weekends.
“They open it back up before the detail gets off,” Deaton said, “usually after the bars close.”
Deaton said police cars are parked in front of the barriers during the closure and officers from the Uptown Columbus detail and from CPD’s patrol division monitor the area.
“Are they going to go somewhere else? Maybe,” Deaton said. “But at the end of the day, that’s ultimately the goal is to try to keep that kind of stuff down and alleviate that temptation or that availability of that location to gather up where bad things can happen.”
If the group of people that hung out in the Bay Avenue area moves to a new location, Deaton said, CPD would evaluate the situation to determine whether to close that location.
“We certainly don’t want to keep people from being able to enjoy themselves and enjoy what the uptown area has to offer,” he said, “but we need to create a safe environment in order for people to go down and enjoy themselves.”
Arrests and previous incidents in Bay Avenue area
Five people were arrested in connection with the death of Davis.
Police said Kacin Grant, 21, was arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault (five counts) and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
Police said Lamarcus Williams, 18, was arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault (five counts) and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
The other suspects — two who are 15 and one who is 16 — are charged with murder, aggravated assault (five counts), possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of a firearm under 18 years old.
It is Ledger-Enquirer policy not to name suspects under the age of 18.
CPD Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Investigative Services Matt Blackstock said his daughter was shot once in the side and another woman was shot five times in the Bay Avenue area a couple of years ago. Both women survived.
Davis’ shooting wasn’t the first time police responded to gunfire in the Bay Avenue area this year. Police responded to reports of gunshots there July 4, when a vehicle sustained damage and nine suspects were arrested.