Citizens File Complaints About Officer-Involved Shooting
Updated: Oct 6, 2022
Last month, the Office of Inspector General received 131 complaints from citizens alleging police misconduct and use of excessive force by Columbus Division of Police Officers.
The Office of Inspector General works closely with the Columbus Civilian Police Review Board to investigate the allegations and, if appropriate, recommend discipline and changes to Division policies and procedures.
The Sussi Report went through September's batch of complaints and noticed that about two dozen of them are about the August 30 shooting of 20-year-old Donovan Lewis. Veteran officer Ricky Anderson fatally shot the unarmed Lewis while Lewis was lying in his bed.
Officer Anderson and other CPD officers were at the Hilltop apartment to arrest Lewis on an open warrant for domestic violence, assault, and improperly handling of a firearm.
The common thread to the complaints? Officer Anderson killed an unarmed man, and he should be arrested and charged with murder.
Here are some of the complaints that caught my eye.
"Did not think they needed to go lethal on that person; it's a shoot first mentality when the person is black. Will be determined no wrongdoing. "F" the officer and the police."
"Officer Ricky Anderson murdered a 20-year-old in his bed. If he's not charged, there's a serious miscarriage of justice happening."
"Angry veteran states he is calling to tell us to arrest the officer that killed that black man while in his bed while waking up. Was that proper policing? Let officers get away with murder. Guarantee he will get away with it. Officers murdered someone. The officers are already racist gang members; they kill, they kill. Need to do an investigation and get the officers arrested for murder and put in jail. Police are no longer going to have immunity."
"White cop is suspended with pay; how does that work? Wouldn't a citizen be in jail awaiting trial for murder? Because he's a cop, he can shoot b/c he's an "N." If it was a white guy, would this of happened... don't think so."
Several complaints were submitted by people who live outside of Columbus.
A person from Portland said, "if the man that shot Donovan is still employed, he shouldn't be. The man should not be working or have a gun."
"People are aware we keep killing innocent black people. It is disgusting, and I hope something is being done about it," complained a person from Detroit.
A person who resides in Seattle said a "20-year-old black man that a white racist cop killed."
The Civilian Police Review Board directed the Columbus Inspector General's Office to investigate the shooting once the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation completes its investigation.
Officer Anderson, a 30-year Division veteran, is on paid administrative leave.
If you have a tip, you can leave me a message at 614 779-1885 or drop me an email at 614 779-1885.
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