Man slain during home invasion

Columbus police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old man during a home-invasion robbery in North Linden.

Connor Robert Reynolds was shot Wednesday in a residence in the 800 block of East North Broadway at 2:33 a.m. Witnesses told police that gunmen entered the residence and shot Reynolds and two of the five dogs in the home. One witness told police a dog was struck first before Reynolds was downed by gunfire.

Reynolds and another man were laying tile at the home when Reynolds was shot. The other man jumped out a window to escape, according to the police log of the incident.

Friends took Reynolds to OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital. One of them was driving a pickup truck with the wounded man, who was shot in his side, when he flagged down a Columbus police officer. Reynolds was pronounced dead at the hospital at 5:55 a.m., police said.

Reynolds' killing is the 56th homicide in the city this year. At the same time last year, there were 65 homicides en route to a record year of 143.

The two wounded dogs were taken by animal-control officers. The dogs were in stable condition, police said in a Facebook post.

Anyone with information is asked to call Columbus police at 614-645-4730; callers can remain anonymous by dialing Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS.