CPD IDs Suspect Who Allegedly Shot At Officers
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Suspect Shoots At Officers
A suspect shoots at officers, barricades himself inside a home near campus and apparently turns his firearm on himself Monday.
NBC 4
UPDATE: Authorities identify a suspect who allegedly shot at officers, barricaded himself inside a home and turned his gun on himself Monday.
Published: September 7, 2009
Updated: September 8, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Authorities have identified a suspect who allegedly shot at officers, barricaded himself inside a home and turned his gun on himself Monday.
NBC 4 has been with this story since Monday afternoon and reported with the latest information Tuesday.
The incident began as a possible DUI stop on Interstate 71 at about 3:45 p.m., authorities said.
The driver, who later was identified as 37-year-old Jason Farnsworth, started to pull over but then fled officers, crashing into vehicles along the way, according to reports.
Police said Farnsworth stopped the vehicle in the area of 17th Avenue and Dora Drive.
Officers approached the vehicle. Farnsworth bailed and began running and firing shots from a high-powered rifle, authorities said.
A 28-year-old officer was shot in the face in the area of Dora Drive. CPD later identified the officer as Joshua Wagner.
The suspect ran about two blocks and entered a residence at 1919 North 4th Street, ran to the top floor and started shooting at officers, authorities said.
“This individual entered that residence, began firing from inside. Both north and south. Shooting at officers or people, anybody moving in the area. Very dangerous situation,” CPD Sgt. Rich Weiner said.
SWAT moved in while the suspect continued to fire rounds.
SWAT evacuated officers who were “pinned down” by the suspect’s gunfire.
The suspect’s last shot was fired at about 4:30 p.m.
SWAT officers found Farnsworth dead in the residence at about 6:45 p.m. He committed suicide apparently with his own firearm.
Wagner, who was shot in the cheek, was transported to OSU Medical Center in stable condition. He was treated and released Monday night. Wagner is assigned to 18 Precinct B Company and has been with the division for six years.
Initial reports indicated another officer was shot and injured during the gunfire. CPD Sgt. Rich Weiner confirmed only one officer was injured during the incident.
Officer Wesley Hurley was shot, but the bullet struck his bulletproof vest. Hurley is assigned to 4 Precinct B Company and has been with the division for one year.
He was not injured, but he was transported OSU Medical Center and also was released Monday night.
CPD said other officers involved in the shootings were Bryan Mason, Donald Worthington and Bryan Brumfield. Mason is assigned to 18 Precinct B Company and has been with the division for two years. Worthington is assigned to 11 Precinct B Company and has been with the division for three years. Brumfield is assigned to 5 Precinct B and has been with the division for two years.
Police treated it as a hostage situation and asked everyone avoid the area during the incident.
As a safety precaution, police instructed area residents to stay inside and go to a basement if possible until officers released them.
The area is heavily populated, and some residents were caught in the middle of the incident.
NBC 4 talked two OSU students who said the events were like something they’ve seen on TV.
“We were stuck in the middle of the parking lot, in my buddy’s CRV,” Mike Cass said.
“Then some guys over there told us to get down. They rolled up in the SWAT van, blocking the house. They told us to come out, stay low and to get in the back,” Eric Davis said.
Kyle Weldon lives next door to the house on North 4th Street where the situation ended.
“The guy started shooting out of his front window. He started to shoot back to the officers. The cops were posted on my porch, aiming towards the building,” Weldon said.
Weldon’s house became something of a mini police command post.
He said he was in his basement for about 45 minutes while officers were going through his home. He said police came downstairs and escorted him out of his home.
“I was like, ‘Sounds good. Get out of this hot zone now,’ ” Weldon said.
Police said Farnsworth was a gun collector who might have had mental issues.
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Reader Reactions
@Useurhead
You should follow your own advice. All suspects have “allegedly” committed the crime. This is to protect the suspects and the paper. You have never noticed this before?
Donna,
I’m disappointed in the headline and initial wording of this article. You say “allegedly” like there is doubt about what happened yesterday. Ask the two officers if they were SHOT by Mr. Farnsworth or if they were allegedly shot at. I’m pretty sure it is very clear what happened. We may not know the ENTIRE chain of events but we are certain 2 police officers were shot by the deceased suspect.
I’d like to thank the Moral Police for weighing in on the subject of the shooting of a cop by an obvious maniac, and determining from this that drinking should be prohibited to encourage bowling and skating. While I find these activities enjoyable, fascism kind of sticks in my craw a little bit.
I’ve actually lived on Fourth St. for three years now. My immediate neighbors are two married couples, and a gay couple who all keep to themselves and we all know each other. Crime? If by crime you mean getting yelled at by every college guy from his porch as I walk down the street to work, then yes, LOTS of crime, ha.
I can understand being frightened of Fourth St. if the entire extent of your knowledge of inner city living was formed by Adventures in Babysitting.
OSUStudent10,
While underage drinking is always an issue and concern in any area, simply enacting prohibition in the university area not only violates the rights of business owners and legal-age drinkers in that area, but it will not make under-age people who want to drink decide all of a sudden, that they no longer want to drink. Removing the bars and selling of alcohol in that area would also send much of this underground, further unregulated (remember how well it worked in the 1920s?).
Also, encouraging more people to go downtown to drink only puts more potential drunk drivers on the road, in a city where public transportation is limited, especially late at night. With neighborhood bars, you can avoid the whole driving situation by walking, and my people in that area do.
Educating people on responsible behavior seems like a more realistic solution, however, in a transient neighborhood, such as the university district, building an responsible atmosphere takes time and intiative from neighborhood organizations.
Part of that education could include encouraging more wholesome activities like you suggest, which I agree could be oriented as a good alternative to much of the drinking that goes on.
But in reality, there are thousands of students in this area, and yes, some of them are going to drink no matter what.
@brtdmsn
It is hard to take an anti-gun argument seriously when you can’t even remember the amendment you are arguing against. The first amendment is the right to free speech, etc. The second is the right to keep and bear arms.
@OSUStudent10,
Prohibition is not the answer, it never has been and never will be. Even limited prohibition, in this case to a few blocks downtown, would be extremely detrimental. The only thing it would do is cause people to drive to bars instead of walking to the bars they normally go to. People would still drink in their homes, have parties, and drunks would still be wandering around.
On second reading, you seem to be encouraging prohibition in people’s private residences. Good luck with that.
4th Street is the least liked area by students because of all the robberies and other crimes that happen there. As a student renting an apartment people have always warned me against 4th street because it is a high crime area. I wish Ohio State and law enforcement could work with the students to make 4th street a safer environment.
Also, the people begging for money on High Street is a problem for student and business owners.
I feel like if Columbus reinacted prohibition of alcohol in University District there would be safer streets and a cleaner neighborhood. The bars would be replaced by more wholesome activities such as bowling and skating. Less homes would have a mountain of beer cans in their front yard. Less rapes and fights would occur. Drunk beggars would be picked up off the streets and drunk drivers would choose not to live in the area.
People who want to drink could go downtown or elsewhere. The average age of people in University District is probably to young to drink anyways.
brtdmsn, I assume you meant the 2nd and not the first?
Thank You Jaguar, finally a sign of intelligence here.
By Denise Yost
Managing Editor, nbc4i.com
Published: September 7, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio—A police officer was shot in the face Monday and the suspect in the shooting committed suicide after barricading himself inside a home.
glasses anyone is see sept7 monday right on top
i hope thebest to the officer
I happened to be in the area and actually did hear a volley of gunshots. It was scary I was with my 12 year old son and I have to admit I was scared. I am grateful that no one else got injured because with all the police officers surrounding the area, people were flooding in that direction. I am amazed no one else got injured. There are more than enough guns in this country and even those who support the first amendment have to agree that guns are a negative issue in this country. Today could have turned out very very differently all because someone who most likely had no business owning a gun owned one.
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