After a spate of gun violence in Columbus, Police Chief Tom Quinlan pleaded Tuesday for the public to come forward if they have information about recent shootings.
Since the beginning of this year, Quinlan says 39 people have been shot in Columbus. That’s a more than 50% increase than the same period last year, when Columbus saw 25 shootings. Quinlan says the police can’t solve those cases without witnesses.
“The reality is these crimes are solved with good witnesses," Quinlan said. "People that were present on the Livingston Avenue incident, we had 20-some people were there that we know of, and they all left and do not want to be a witness.”
Three brothers were shot, one of whom was killed, in that incident at the Driving Park Library on Columbus’ South Side.
"Forty-two percent, almost half of the victims of our gun violence, are 21 years age or younger," Quinlan said. "Most of them are black youth. It's disproportionate the number of people that are victims of these crimes."
Columbus Police have seen 12 homicides so far this year.
