Shooter charged in polaris mall shooting incident

Shooter charged in Polaris mall shooting incident

COLUMBUS, OH – Columbus Police today report that 20-year-old Arshad J. Lawson was positively identified as the shooting suspect from the Polaris Mall shooting incident on March 15, 2021.

Lawson was charged with Felonious Assault in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas and he is currently in custody at the Franklin County Jail.​

Polaris mall shooting incident

On March 15, 2021, Columbus Police were dispatched to the Polaris Fashion Place located at 1500 Polaris Pkwy. on a call of shots fired inside of the mall. Upon arrival, Columbus Police patrol units assisted by SWAT officers cleared the building for threats and the evacuation of employees & mall patrons.

Witnesses informed detectives that they observed a group of unidentified subjects arguing in the breezeway, when one of the unidentified subjects brandished a handgun and fired multiple rounds from his weapon. Witnesses stated that after the incident, all the unidentified subjects left the building. No injuries were reported at the time of the incident.

Other shootings in Columbus

Shore News Network Staff Report

Shore News Network Staff Report is the official newsroom byline used by Shore News Network when a story is produced through the collaborative work of multiple members of the editorial team rather than a single reporter.

This newsroom account is reserved for articles that involve contributions from multiple journalists, editors, photographers, researchers, or news desk staff. It is also used for developing stories that are updated as new verified information becomes available, as well as for community announcements, weather coverage, public safety alerts, election results, and other newsroom-produced content.

Every article published under the Shore News Network Staff Report byline is reviewed and edited in accordance with the organization's editorial standards for accuracy, fairness, attribution, and transparency. Information is verified through official government agencies, court records, law enforcement, public documents, direct reporting, interviews, and other reliable primary and secondary sources before publication whenever possible.

The Staff Report account does not use artificial intelligence to independently generate news or publish unverified information. AI-assisted tools may occasionally be used for editorial support tasks such as transcription, formatting, grammar review, or workflow efficiency, but all published content is subject to human editorial oversight and approval by Shore News Network's newsroom staff.

As an independently owned digital news organization, Shore News Network is committed to original reporting, public safety journalism, government accountability, local community coverage, and breaking news throughout New Jersey and surrounding regions. Stories published under the Staff Report byline reflect the collective experience and editorial judgment of the Shore News Network newsroom.

Readers who have corrections, additional information, or news tips related to a Staff Report article are encouraged to contact the newsroom at news@shorenewsnetwork.com. Shore News Network welcomes factual corrections and updates as part of its commitment to accurate, transparent journalism.