COLUMBUS – Two 15-year-olds are facing charges resulting from an incident in the parking lot of a Southeast Side bingo parlor Saturday that led to a Columbus police officer shooting one of the juveniles.
Two Columbus police officers were working special duty at the B33 Bingo Hall, 3300 Refugee Road, at approximately 2:00 p.m. wTwo Columbus police officers were working special duty at the Bingo Hall, 3300 Refugee Road at approximately 2:00 p.m. when a disturbance occurred in the parking lot involving two male black teenagers and a vehicle, according to a release from the Columbus Division of Police.
An officer was involved in a struggle with one of the teenagers when the officer was hit by the vehicle and the teenager was run over.
The second officer, identified as Ofc. Glenn Thivener, a thirty-four year veteran of the division, fired his weapon, striking the driver of the vehicle, who continued out of the parking lot and crashed into a car that was heading westbound on Refugee Road, police said.
The teenage driver and passenger were arrested and taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital where police say they are still in stable condition.
The driver has been charged with felonious assault on a police officer, felonious assault, attempted theft of a motor vehicle, and receiving stolen property while the passenger has been charged with felonious assault on a police officer, attempted theft of a motor vehicle, and receiving stolen property. Both remain hospitalized in stable condition.
The other Columbus police officer who was hit by the vehicle remains hospitalized and in stable condition.
Because the officer was working special duty, there is no body-worn camera footage of the incident since the city does not require officers wear them on special duty assignments, according to a Division of Police directive, which says they “are not required and may not be available for special duty work, but they may be used provided that the BWC can be fully charged and videos can be uploaded prior to the start of the next regular tour of duty.”
“The City will not compensate personnel for travel time or uploading/charging the BWC,”
according to the directive.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting an investigation of Thivener’s use of a firearm.