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Police: Planned robbery leads to fatal shooting of 15-year-old, 18-year-old in northeast Columbus

Terrell Hicks-Freeman, 15, and Baron Anderson, 16, are charged with murder in the June 3 deaths of 15-year-old Mahky Andrews and 18-year-old Layton Ridgedell.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Division of Police released new details Sunday as detectives search for two suspects charged in the fatal shooting of two teenage boys on the city's northeast side last month.

Terrell Hicks-Freeman, 15, and Baron Anderson, 16, are charged with murder in the June 3 deaths of 15-year-old Mahky Andrews and 18-year-old Layton Ridgedell.

In an update from police, Detective Keith O'Conner told 10TV's Ashley Bornancin that Mahky, Hicks-Freeman and Anderson set up a deal to meet with an 18-year-old victim to buy a gun and that the teens were planning to rob them. 

Ridgedell came with the victim to meet up with the three teens. 

O'Conner said Mahky initiated the robbery, pulled out a gun and shots were exchanged. Mahky was shot in the head and Ridgedell was shot multiple times. 

The victim was able to leave the scene, but O'Conner did not say they were harmed in the shooting. Police found Ridgedell in a parking lot of Caledonia Road where he ultimately died.  

Mahky was found inside a vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

O'Conner said Hicks-Freeman and Anderson drove away from the scene, but their car broke down near the United Dairy Farmers close by the intersection of North Hamilton and Warner roads. 

The suspected teens were caught by the intersection and brought to police headquarters in downtown Columbus for questioning. The teens were later released. 

A week later, police received information that the teens were setting up a robbery, O'Conner said. SWAT went to the houses to take them into custody and they were gone. 

O'Conner told 10TV that it is believed someone is helping the two suspects and hiding them. 

The last month has been hard for Ridgedell's mother, Shawna Bobst. She said it feels like she doesn't have closure. 

"I re-live everything every day, I think about what may have happened. I just play scenarios in my head. I’m not going to have closure until they're caught. It’s a nightmare every day I have to relive," she said. 

Ridgedell's brother Jadin Dickenson said he's had a rollercoaster of emotions, ranging from feeling horrible to being numb to everything. 

"Every day that this goes on that they're not caught it just absolutely sucks. I just want justice so [badly]. I don't know if it will take the pain away cuz there's no telling, but I would like to see these guys put away for what they've done," Jadin Dickenson, Ridgedell's brother, said.

Hicks-Freeman and Anderson are considered armed and dangerous and have access to more guns, the detective said. Anyone helping them could face criminal charges. 

Credit: WBNS-10TV
Booking photo of Baron Anderson
Credit: Columbus Division of Police
Booking photo of Terrell Hicks-Freeman

Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730.

Andrews' and Ridgedell's deaths were the 55th and 56th homicides of 2022 in the city of Columbus.

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