Columbus, Ohio (WSYX) — A fatal shooting in East Columbus claimed the life of an 18-year-old on Thursday evening.
According to police, officers responded to a shooting on the 4000 block of Carlton Avenue on Thursday night, where they found 18-year-old Terrance Spellman suffering from a gunshot wound.
Spellman was transported to Mount Carmel East in critical condition and was pronounced dead at 8:53 p.m.
Police say witnesses told them Spellman, another adult, and 18-year-old Donnie Walls Jr. were handling several firearms in an apartment when Walls allegedly discharged a firearm unintentionally, fatally wounding Spellman.
After the shooting, Walls and the other adult carried Spellman outside and left him in a nearby parking lot before returning to the apartment. They then called 911 and provided false information about the incident, police said.
According to court documents, during the 911 call, the caller said the victim had shot himself. After Spellman was transported to the hospital, Walls and another person were detained and interviewed by detectives. During the interview, detectives learned the three individuals were handling multiple guns while preparing to meet an individual to sell them a gun. While handling one of the guns, Walls accidentally discharged the firearm and struck Spellman.
Walls denied shooting Spellman, though he admitted to moving Spellman out of the scene, hiding the firearms and cleaning the crime scene before the police arrived. Detectives also spoke with a known individual who said they were on the phone with Spellman when the shooting occurred and heard one of the males say to tell the police “he shot himself,” court documents say. During the interview, the other male being interviewed said he observed Walls fire the gun that struck Spellman.
Detectives have charged Walls with reckless homicide, and he is currently being held in the Franklin County Jail.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Polgar at (614) 645-4196 or [email protected] or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).
