A 20-year-old Black man is dead after he was fatally shot on Aug. 30 by a Columbus, Ohio, police officer who was attempting to serve a warrant on him. The victim was identified as Donovan Lewis.
Body camera footage showed that Lewis was unarmed and sitting in bed next to what may have been a vape pen. Court records showed that the officers were serving a warrant for improperly handling a firearm, assault and domestic violence.
Officers went to Lewis’ apartment and knocked on his door for around 10 minutes before someone answered and was taken into custody. Officers saw another man in the apartment and detained him as well.
When officers asked the two men if anyone else was in the house, neither answered. They then warned anyone else inside that they were releasing a K9 officer. The dog started barking at a bedroom door, and officer Ricky Anderson moved the dog back to open the door while another officer followed him. Both had their guns drawn.
When Anderson opened the door, Lewis sat up in bed and was immediately shot. After the shooting, Lewis was handcuffed and carried out of the apartment. After trying to treat his gunshot wound, medics took him to Grant Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
Officer Anderson was placed on leave pending an investigation of the shooting.
