COLUMBUS, OH – A fatal shooting at a city nightclub in the early hours of Friday has rocked Columbus. Two victims, identified as Desmond Taylor, 28, and Ceilin Smith, 36, succumbed to their wounds, while two others have been hospitalized.
The violence broke out inside Avalon, a popular venue on North 5th Street, following an altercation around 1:45 a.m. Taylor received immediate medical attention at the site but was pronounced dead soon after. Smith, who was critically wounded, was rushed to Grant Medical Center but passed away an hour later.
In the same incident, two additional victims suffered gunshot injuries and were respectively transported to two different medical centers for treatment. Both individuals are said to be recuperating and out of danger.
Law enforcement officers are attempting to piece together the events that ultimately led up to the tragic incident. Columbus Police Assistant Chief Greg Bodker believes the shooting was related to a dispute that started inside the nightclub.
Acting on initial inquiries, the Columbus Division of Police is on the hunt for multiple persons of interest. Surveillance footage revealed two individuals in the vicinity of the crime scene, and police have shared their images with the public, seeking help to identify them.