Columbus Police Officer Joshua Ohlinger Faces Scrutiny Over Involvement in Shooting by Police Officer Incidents

Following his involvement in two nonfatal shootings by a police officer within six months, Columbus police officer Joshua Ohlinger has been spared from criminal charges as a grand jury decides not to indict him; the decision pertains specifically to an August 2022 incident that injured a teenager.

Columbus Officer Joshua Ohlinger under scrutiny for two nonfatal shootings, as grand jury clears him in August 2022 ‘shooting by police officer’ incident injuring teenager during a traffic stop. (PHOTO: 10TV)

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Officer Ohlinger Under Scrutiny: Grand Jury Decides Against Charges in Shooting by Police Officer Incidents

Columbus police officer Joshua Ohlinger finds himself at the center of scrutiny due to his ‘shooting by police officer’ involvement in two nonfatal shootings within a span of six months. According to The Columbus Dispatch, a grand jury has chosen not to pursue criminal charges against Officer Ohlinger in relation to an August 2022 shooting incident that resulted in the injury of a teenager. This ‘shooting by police officer’ event unfolded on August 27, 2022, when Ohlinger, accompanied by another officer, conducted a routine traffic stop on East Main Street near Seymour Avenue in the city’s Near East Side.

The occupants of the vehicle, identified as 17-year-old Deonte Jones and 18-year-old Najaa Ellman, swiftly emerged from the car with firearms in hand upon being pulled over, as reported. The body camera footage in ‘shooting by police officer’ incident exposed their attempts to flee the scene, with Ellman allegedly aiming his gun towards the officers. In response, Officer Ohlinger discharged his weapon four times, resulting in one gunshot wound to Jones. While Jones received medical attention, Ellman was eventually apprehended after a pursuit. Firearms were retrieved from both individuals in the ‘shooting by police officer’ incident.

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Prosecutor’s Decision in Shooting by Police Officer Case Sparks Debate Amid Ongoing Investigations

The Columbus Dispatch further added that the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office deliberated on the ‘shooting by police officer’ case and concluded that Officer Ohlinger’s use of force did not warrant criminal charges. With five years of police experience, Ohlinger had already been under investigation regarding the ‘shooting by police officer’ incident by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation prior to the grand jury’s decision. Despite this outcome, questions regarding police response appropriateness and the use of lethal force continue to surface, particularly given the circumstances of this ‘shooting by police officer’ incident being one of three shootings within eight days in August 2022.

A separate incident involving Officer Ohlinger came to light in February, where he was implicated in yet another shooting. This incident involved the injury of a man named Michael Cleveland. However, this case remains under investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and is pending presentation to a grand jury. The unfolding events have reignited a broader public discourse surrounding police tactics, accountability, and the nuanced equilibrium between safeguarding public welfare and the exercise of force.

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