COLUMBUS, OH – On Thursday, at 1:41am, patrol officers were disptached to the area of 150 E. Main St. on a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, 26-year-old Teaira Harris, lying in the parking lot to the rear of 122 E. Main St., unresponsive with a gunshot wound.
Harris was transported to Grant Hospital in critical condition. Despite receiving life saving medical treatment, Harris succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at 4:21am. Patrol officers detained the suspect, 43-year-old Darren Dempsey, and several witnesses who remained at scene.
Initial statements indicated that a number of small fights took place, which led to the shooting. Witnesses advised that the victim displayed a firearm and pointed it at several people, including the suspect.
The suspect then fired his weapon in self-defense. At this time, no charges have been filed, and upon completion of this investigation, the case package will be sent to the Franklin County Grand Jury for final review and determination.
Anyone with information regarding this incident, is asked to call the CPD’s Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).
This is the city’s 85th homicide in 2021.