Police identify officer involved in shooting on Far West Side
Columbus police have identified the officer and man involved in a stolen vehicle investigation that ended with the officer firing his gun multiple times on the Far West Side.
Police said Officer David Drenning, 39, was the officer who fired his weapon during the incident, which began around 3 a.m. Wednesday on the 700 block of Shakerton Lane on the Far West Side. Drenning has been with the Columbus Division of Police for eight years.
Drenning was one of multiple uniformed police officers whom police said were called to the area to assist plainclothes officers who were working a special-duty operation related to thefts that had been reported near some apartment complexes located off of Hilliardrome Road.
Police said the officers approached a pickup truck in which Brandon Webb, 43, of Franklinton, appeared to be sleeping. One of the responding officers identified Webb as having an open felony warrant and having fled from police on Sept. 16 in a stolen vehicle.
Body camera video shows officers approaching Webb’s truck, which was running, and waking him up. One officer, who is not identified, yells “Taser,” and appears to attempt to deploy a Taser.
Webb then steps on the accelerator, revving the engine while the vehicle is not in gear. What sounds like 12 gunshots are heard on the body camera video as Webb backs up and crashed through a sidewall of a garage, then drives through through a grassy area toward Hilliard-rome Road, striking a parked car in the parking lot.
About five additional gunshots are heard as the truck is driving out of the garage and going past officers.
Webb drove about a quarter-mile before turning into a parking lot on the 600 block of Hilliard-rome Road, striking two parked cars in that parking lot. Body camera footage shows Webb then got out of the vehicle and tried to go a few steps before falling to the ground.
Webb appeared to have a compound fracture of one leg, according to the body camera footage. The footage does not make clear whether Webb’s leg was broken as a result of the crashes or whether he had been shot.
Police officers applied a bandage and pressure to Webb’s wound as they waited for medics to arrive. Webb is expected to survive his injuries.
No officers were injured in the incident.
The pickup truck had been reported stolen from a gas station about a halfmile away on Sept. 17. A firearm previously reported stolen in Dublin was recovered from the truck, according to police.
Webb remains in police custody on his outstanding felony warrant. Drenning has been placed on administrative leave, per division policy, while the investigation into the incident continues.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the investigation in accordance with city policy for shootings involving Columbus police officers.
Bethany Bruner is a reporter covering public safety, breaking news and police. bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner