Near East Side incident considered a murder- suicide

A man died from selfinflicted gunshot wounds early Thursday after he fatally shot an elderly woman delivering food to his home Wednesday night, triggering a five-hour standoff with Columbus SWAT that paralyzed a Near East Side neighborhood for five hours.

Donald D. Bugg, 60, was pronounced dead at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center at 4:23 a.m. Thursday.

Bugg was accused of fatally shooting Jerry J. Helms, a 73-year-old woman, at his house on the 500 block of North Ohio Avenue, just south of Leonard Avenue.

Helms was delivering food to Bugg and his brother when the situation careened out of control at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

She was shot inside the residence and when police responded to a reported shooting, Bugg barricaded himself inside the house.

That brought SWAT to the scene, which shut down the surrounding neighborhood for hours.

Officers attempted to negotiate with Bugg to no avail.

At about 10 p.m., SWAT shot flash grenades at the house and entered.

Bugg fired several shots at officers before he shot himself, police said.

Officers discovered Helms’ dead body inside the house, where she was pronounced dead at 10:18 p.m.

Officers also found Bugg’s brother, unharmed, inside the house. Police do not believe he was involved.

The case is being considered a homicide and suicide. Helms is the 87th homicide victim in Columbus this year.