COLUMBUS, Ohio — Shots were fired in a Columbus neighborhood Monday afternoon and at least one bullet hit a window on the second floor of a city building where police dispatchers take emergency calls.
Columbus police said they think it was a stray bullet that struck the 911 call center just southeast of downtown and it was not a targeted attack.
“Those windows are all in a place where it could hit anyone. Anytime you hit a structure at all, there's always that risk. Certainly, we have that staffed 24 hours a day with a lot of people,” said Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #9 President Keith Ferrell.
There were no reported injuries from the shooting.
“I think it's a concern, not just for me and not just for the police but for the entire community. This just kind of shows you where we are at with this random or targeted attacks of violence we are seeing in this city,” Ferrell explained.
Ferrell said he is thankful no one was hurt but said he's concerned about what will happen with the next stray bullet.
“These bullets can go a long way certainly and can hit things people aren't intending to. Unfortunately, we have seen that in the past people have been struck,” Ferrell said.
Police see an increase in "celebratory gunfire" around the holidays, according to Ferrell.
“We are obviously seeing an uptick in violent crime in the city of Columbus. I just hope people recognize that even the celebratory stuff and not intending to hit people, these bullets come down, and they come down and could go through a structure and hit a vehicle, and hopefully not hit a person,” Ferrell said.