COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Police investigators searched the area behind an East 26th Avenue duplex this morning, trying to recover every piece of possible evidence after two of their own were forced to open fire on a robbery suspect earlier today.
The shooting happened on East 26th Avenue between Cleveland and Medina avenues, NBC 4’s Mike Bowersock reported.
A man flagged down a police cruiser on nearby Cleveland Avenue and said he had been robbed in the rear of 1301 E. 26th Ave., Bowersock reported.
Officers went behind a duplex on 26th and saw someone matching the victim’s description of the suspect.
“They went to the rear of the address at that time,” said Sergeant Richard Weiner. “They encountered an individual on the steps that matched the suspect’s description. At that time, that individual turned on the officer. He had a gun in his hand."
The officers fired their weapons and struck the suspect, James M. Perrin, in the upper torso, according to police reports.
“This is known to be a high-crime area. A lot of gang activity … prostitution. You know, we’re only blocks away from where a rape suspect was shot and killed by SWAT officers just a couple of weeks ago,” said Fraternal Order of Police President Jim Gilbert.
Perrin was shot by officers in Zone 5, which is the second-most dangerous part of the city. There were 21 homicides in 2007 in this zone, Bowersock reported.
“This area is known to the officers. The officers have a right to protect themselves,” Gilbert said.
Perrin, 27, was taken to OSU Medical Center in critical condition and has been charged with one count of robbery and two counts of aggravated menacing, according to police.
Stay tuned to NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for more information.
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