Three shooting deaths in a week. It’s enough to make sure you lock your doors and stay inside at night.
What’s more frightening is not knowing if those killings are random acts of violence or targeted hits.
A life lost to violence always is tragic. But when people take the lives of random strangers — passersby just in the wrong place at the wrong time — it gives us all pause. What’s to stop us from being next?
We don’t know into which category the most recent Columbus shootings fall.
Thursday night, a 41-year-old man was shot to death on 27th Street North in Columbus.
The Sunday prior, a 35-year-old Columbus man was found dead at the 300 block of Eighth Street North in Columbus.
The Saturday before that, a fisherman found the body of a 34-year-old Columbus man at a recreation center along Luxapalila Creek.
The Columbus City Council is planning to meet today to address these recent shootings.
Tuesday, Interim Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen was making the rounds on foot to downtown businesses, listening to concerns and hoping to ease worry.
His push for proactive policing is encouraging. And we wish the police success in their investigations.
We also encourage anyone with even the slightest information to come forward. Through the Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers, you can remain anonymous and still get valuable information to the authorities.
Public safety is a community responsibility.
It’s a point McQueen has made time and time again.
And we can’t help but agree.
We also ask police to continue to release as much information as they can without compromising their investigation.
We all feel better knowing they’re making progress in the cases.
In the meantime, let’s focus on the positives in our community, not the sense of unease brought on by these violent deaths.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.