Columbus officer not indicted in traffic stop shooting

COLUMBUS — A Franklin County grand jury voted to not indict a Columbus police officer for shooting a man who ran from a traffic stop earlier this year, our media partners in Columbus, WBNS reported.

>>One person injured after shooting in Harrison Township ^[1]

On Feb. 5, Officer Joshua Ohlinger and another officer initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by 66-year-old Michael Cleveland.

Cleveland fled the traffic stop, and Ohlinger fired his gun when he saw Cleveland take a firearm out from his waistband.

Cleveland was shot in the chest, the station said.

He was taken to the hospital and survived his injuries.

Police recovered a gun from Cleveland, the station reported.

A day after the incident, police released body camera and dash-camera footage.

Dashcam video shows officers following a black truck around 3 p.m., which was driven by Cleveland.

After about a minute of following Cleveland, he pulled into an alley and parked behind a building.

It is unknown if police activated their lights while following Cleveland.

After the truck is parked, the officers park behind it and then exit their cruiser.

Cleveland gets out of the vehicle he was driving and runs into an alley.

Officer Ohlinger started chasing him and his body camera footage shows he had pulled out his stun gun at first, but then pulled out his firearm.

Cleveland ran in between two buildings and threw a gun off to the side.

>>Hamas attacked Israel and Netanyahu says his country is ‘at war.’ Follow live updates ^[3]

That’s when Ohlinger fired six times, striking Cleveland at least once.

Cleveland fell to the ground, and when asked to show his hands, he said he couldn’t.

Ohlinger asked where the gun was, and Cleveland said he threw it.

The officers handcuffed Cleveland before rendering aid, the station said.

Cleveland was charged with having weapons while under disability, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records.

References

^{^} One person injured after shooting in Harrison Township (www.whio.com)
^{^} Body Camera, Dash Camera Footage (www.youtube.com)
^{^} Hamas attacked Israel and Netanyahu says his country is ‘at war.’ Follow live updates (www.whio.com)