COLUMBUS, OH – On Friday morning, a shooting at Aura, a downtown Columbus nightclub, resulted in two fatalities and two injuries. Columbus police have identified the deceased victims and are now seeking help to identify several potential suspects connected to the case.
Upon emergency calls around 1:45 a.m., law enforcement arrived at Aura to find four gunshot victims. One of the victims, Desmond Taylor, 27, was declared dead at the scene. Ceilin Richard Peakes Smith was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. The other two victims, who survived, were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment.
Authorities have released surveillance footage and are asking the public for help in identifying the persons of interest related to the incident. Columbus Assistant Police Chief Greg Bodker showed sympathy for the grieving families while emphasizing the tragedy of this incident’s timing just ahead of the weekend’s events.
Investigation continues at the scene, with homicide detectives securing the area and analyzing possible evidence. According to preliminary reports, the shooting erupted from a dispute outside the club. Law enforcement counts on numerous witnesses present during the incident to provide more insights.
Shortly before the nightclub shooting, another shooting in southeast Columbus resulted in one fatality. The incidents are currently treated as separate cases, and investigations are ongoing.