Police: Man Shot, Killed Along I-70 Was L.A. Rape Suspect
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Man Shot Was Rape Suspect
Police say the man who was shot after a pursuit and crash was a suspected serial rapist from Los Angeles.
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UPDATED: Police release the name of the serial rape suspect who was shot after a pursuit and crash.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Information is coming to light about the man who was shot and killed by police after a pursuit and crash Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities said the incident began with a police pursuit at Beechwood and Main that continued onto Interstate 70 on the city’s east side.
During the pursuit, Columbus Division of Fire Battalion Chief Doug Smith said, the suspect crossed the median and collided head-on with a tanker truck.
Smith said when officers approached the suspect, he was still moving and appeared to be reaching for a weapon and was shot by police. Officials said the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect has been identified by Columbus police as Abram Bynum. Bynum is the suspected High Desert Rapist, who is believed to be responsible for a series of rapes in Los Angeles County from 2004 to 2007.
L.A. County authorities enlisted the help of CPD in obtaining a DNA sample from Bynum. Police said the DNA was sent to L.A., where tests allegedly matched Bynum’s DNA to five area rapes. Additional evidence, CPD said, allegedly linked the suspect to three other rapes.
Columbus police said that when the DNA was confirmed, Bynum was suspected in eight rapes consisting of 19 charges in L.A.—the most serious of which were rape and kidnapping.
According to an L.A. detective, authorities had planned to come to Columbus and take Bynum back to L.A.
Columbus police said that they are investigating whether the suspect committed rapes in Columbus.
The L.A. detective said Bynum was suspected in sexual assaults in Columbus, but wouldn’t elaborate.
Officials said Bynum has family living in Central Ohio. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.
The semi driver involved in the crash was taken to Grant Medical Center in stable condition.
No officer injuries were reported in the incident.
As a result of the crash, I-70 east was closed at Brice Road and I-70 west was closed at state Route 256 during the investigation and cleanup. All lanes of traffic were reopened at about 1 a.m.
The semi was empty at the time of the crash, but diesel fuel was leaking onto the roadway. Hazardous materials crews were also called to the scene.
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Reader Reactions
Well I am glad that I am better than the sicko that was shot, and I still disagree with high speed chases. I want to know if they had an address. It amazes me that they were able to get a DNA sample yet this incident had to occur. Why couldn’t they have used the same approach they used to get the sample, at least they could’ve shot him with such close distance that it blew his face off, and an innocent man wouldn’t have had to been involved. I wonder who’s the brains of these operations. Maybe they need to replace the individual in charge.
While I feel for the family of the deceased, I certainly hope they understand that it was nothing more than the actions of their family member that resulted in his death.
Regardless of whether or not he was a rapist – regardless of whether or not he was a case of mistaken identity – regardless – HE chose to flee from the police. And, to further complicate his situation, chose to risk other lives in the process of doing so. This pond scum took it upon himself to try to commit murder. In my eyes his driving through the median and head-on into the semi is nothing less than an attempt to kill an innocent bystander in an attempt to end his own life.
Compound what I’ve already stated with the fact that he was considered armed, broke countless laws during his attempt to flee law enforcement and had no value for the life of innocent bystanders, the earth is a better place without him.
It’s thoroughly disgusting to see/hear individuals try to stand up for this poor excuse for a man. Those who are aware of the circumstances detailed in the report – and STILL shun the police for what they did – well, simply put, you’re no better than the sicko that was shot.
How do you know all your acquaintances and family members are innocent?? Do you do random personality quizes to ensure everyone around you is legal?
I wish they had gun cams so i could see this piece of trash getting his head split open by a police round.
Why does it seem like there is always some kind of link to Columbus with social trash?
What kind of people allow a suspected serial rapist to hole up with them?
No matter what the police do there is always going to be someone sitting back saying what the police should have done differently. If they had backed off and let this guy continue running and he did hurt someone, crash, rape, murder, etc. then people would be complaining if they had him in their sights why did they let him get away? Darned if they do, darned if they don’t.
And you know I wish people would quit acting like the police have the only dangerous job out here. I commend them but there are plenty of individuals that put their safety and health at risk, daily. There are people that fear going home due to the nieghborhood they live in. Not everyone can afford to just up and move as well as change thier job choice because they feel in danger. I don’t think that CPD made the choice to pursue, that was most likely an order to be followed. It is the one who throws these order that I am fearful of. I wonder if this individual considers the times of these incidents. Is the weather nice, are there going to be children running accross the streets or riding thier bikes or even playing basketball?
Why wouldn’t he give orders to shoot out a tire or something? This beast drove into oncoming traffic….thank God he was on the freeway, I cannot imagine how many innocent people would’ve been murdered had he decided to exit onto the city streets. LA is land of high speed chases, they use special techniques to stop these criminals. Can we compete with that?
yea CPD and the FED’s did a good job….hmmm how many underground deranged suspects has the FED’s rounded up without the public finding out? They did do a good job if you want to base it on the fact that luckily no one was killed but a monster, and the fact that the freaking tanker didn’t blow up.
Landru: again, you are completely un-informed. He was armed and the FBI was following him. It was highly controlled: the CPD chopper was overhead, he chose to rape those people and he chose to run and he chose to hit the semi head on. His fault…CPD 1…bad guys 0.
But then again, if you ACUALLY had any knowledge of this or any other incident you respond to; or you would take up the offers from countless officers who have challenged you to ride with them for a day, you may actually stop being so mis-informed and liberal and see why things happen the way they do. I understand you are afraid to find out what reality is out there though.
Please tell me how you know the police would have picked up this RAPIST later under “controlled” circumstances? How do you know that? How do you know that he wasn’t pawning all of his possessions to buy a bunch of illegal guns and ammo and was going to go out in a blaze of glory - or how do you know that this RAPIST wasn’t going to leave Columbus and go on another raping spree -or how do you know he wasn’t going take his criminal intents to the next level and MURDER his next rape victim?
Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve…who knows what would have happened…face the facts, the CPD did a good job!
Landru needs to run for Mayor because he has ALL THE ANSWERS!!
Again way to go CPD!!! Thank you for not letting him get away to do more harm to others on his rampage!
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