Crime in Columbus, Ohio, specifically the Short North, has become seemingly more common.
According to the numerous reports by 10TV, the area has seen reported crimes increase approximately 25% over last year.
The increase became apparent in May.
In May, at least four people were injured in a shooting at Park Street Cantina.
In July, four people were injured in a shooting right outside of Skully’s Bar, where 30 shell casings were later found at the scene. Other cars and buildings were also hit by stray bullets.
On Aug. 2, Local Cantina in Short North was boarded up after shots were fired at the restaurant the night before. Luckily, no one was hurt.
On Sept. 6, a 21-year-old man was shot in the foot as two groups exchanged gunfire in the Short North.
This just sums up few of the many crimes that have occured the past six months in Short North. Shootings have seemed to be a common occurrence; however, other crimes have occured, as well.
Muggings have also increased in the Short North. Julia Roubic speaks on her personal experience. On July 4, 2021, Roubic and her boyfriend Ryan Meyer were mugged in the Short North.
Roubic and Meyer were heading home at midnight that night and took the Prescott alley near Arch City Tavern, due to where Meyer lives. Usually they take High Street because there are more people around, but that night they went off of the usual route.
Roubic said, “Probably only 30 seconds after we left busy High St. we were approached by five men on scooters. We didn’t think anything of it until they quickly surrounded us. They went right up to my boyfriend and told him to give them everything he had with him and that he had a gun in a drawstring bag that his hand was in.”
She continued, “One of the men hit him on the side of his head and he fell backwards and hit his head on the curb behind him. I then tried to step in between them and my boyfriend so they wouldn’t hit him while he was down and they punched me square in the lower jaw and I fell backwards.”
They took both of their wallets, her bag, and her airpods. Meyer was knocked out, unconscious and bleeding so Roubic called 911, and luckily the police were there within 45 seconds.
“They called him an ambulance and got as good of a statement from each of us as they could- we were in pretty bad shock and Ryan was still having trouble even remembering that something had happened. They followed up with us within the next couple of days but ultimately nothing ever came from it,” Roubic said.
As a result, both victims were rattled, Roubic lost all of her cash and both of them lost their IDs and credit cards.
“We both went home to our parents for a while, to mentally recuperate and also because we literally didn’t have money or cards to even feed ourselves,” Roubic concluded.
Shortly after, Roubic heard about two or three other people that were jumped that same night by a group matching the same description.
In an attempt to reduce the increased crime, a couple programs have been put into place. One of which is the Short North Crime Interdiction Pilot program, where Columbus police officers are to highly patrol the area in order to help prevent crime.
The program “…will be during evening and late night hours during the majority of each weekend over several consecutive weeks.”
Another program that has been developed is the Violence and Injury Prevention Work Group, a program that will help come up with more solutions to stopping crime.
The Columbus Police Department continues to play a large role in improving this street crime.
Per a 10TV interview, “The Division routinely responds to crime trends by moving police resources because we recognize these resources will impact these trends. We are committed to working collaboratively with the residents and business owners in the Short North to address this issue. We have a plan and are committed to ensuring the Short North remains a safe place to live, work, and play,” said Deputy Chief of Police Jennifer Knight.
