A man is dead after he was shot Thursday morning by Gahanna police.
Gahanna Police Chief Jeffrey Spence said police officers were dispatched about 9:30 a.m. to the Springhill Suites hotel on Taylor Road on a call about a fraudulent credit card.
Officers went to a room inside the hotel, and began talking to a man through a door.
While officers were talking to the man, he fled out a hotel room window and walked across the parking lot. The officers followed him and saw he had a handgun, Spence said.
The man crossed Taylor Road into an empty lot, ignoring police commands and attempts to de-escalate the situation. "At one point, he takes the firearm, points it toward his head. They again try to get him to de-escalate. One of our officers deploys a less-than-lethal projectile in an effort to stun the individual," Spence said.
Spence said later during the encounter, the man "pointed the weapon directly at our officers." At that point, multiple officers shot the man.
Officers attempted to render first aid to the man after he was shot. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead around 10:30 a.m.
No officers were hurt.
"While tragic in its ending, there's no broader threat to our community," Spence said.
The name of the man who died has not been released. Police say the man was in his early 20s. The name of the officers involved in the shooting have not been released.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is looking into the shooting.
The officers who were involved are on administrative leave, which is in accordance with departmental policy.
Brian Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge #9, said the incident highlights the great dangers law enforcement officers face.
"No officer wants to do what they had to do today," Steel said. "Make no mistake, this was a violent encounter with an armed suspect who had bad intentions. The suspect had choices today, but unfortunately, he chose the wrong one."
Steel said officers asked the suspect to put the weapon down several times but he did not do so.
"Had he complied, he'd be in jail right now and getting released in a day or two. But, unfortunately, that didn't happen," Steel said.
