COLUMBUS – Columbus continued on its homicide-a-day pace in 2021 with a 17-year-old charged in the shooting death of an 18-year-old man during a robbery attempt in Linden Tuesday night.
It was the 12th homicide in Columbus in the first 12 days of the year.
Police say Josiah Cocroft, 17, was charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Kiran Hill, 18, who was killed when the two allegedly tried to hold up an unidentified 33-year-old man at the E & E Market, 778 E. Hudson Street at 7:24 p.m., Sgt. James Marable of the Homicide Unit said.
Detectives say Hill brandished a firearm during the robbery attempt and Marable says the intended victim, who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, produced his own handgun and Hill was fatally wounded during an exchange of gunfire. He was pronounced dead later at Riverside Methodist Hospital.
The victim, whose name was not released, remained at scene and waited for officers to arrive, Marable said. No charges were immediately filed against him.