Man ID’d as city’s 70th homicide victim

NORTH LINDEN /

Columbus police have identified a North Linden man who was shot near his home Sunday night.

Damon D. Wadell, 19, became the city’s 70th homicide victim after he was killed in the 1000 block of Loretta Avenue, police said on Monday.

At the same time last year, there were 47 homicides — meaning there’s been a 49 percent increase in homicides so far this year.

Wadell was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:26 p.m. Sunday. Police had been called just six minutes earlier.

“He’s bleeding really bad,” a woman told a 911 dispatcher. “He’s responsive. ... He’s still breathing. But you need to get here fast.”

Another woman called 911 from a couple blocks away saying she heard nine gunshots.

Two other people — a man and a woman, each 20 years old — also were shot at. The woman was wounded and taken to OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical condition, but was later upgraded to stable. The man wasn’t hit.

Police have not identified the pair. At least one of them was able to identify the shooter, according to the 911 call.

Police believe the gunman might have known the victims, but a motive has not been determined.

Anyone with information is asked to call Columbus homicide detectives at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.