Teen Fatally Shot By Deputy In Columbus Courtroom

COLUMBUS, OH — A teenage defendant was shot and killed by a deputy in a Columbus courtroom Wednesday afternoon after a scuffle with members of the teen’s family, according to media reports. Joseph Edward Haynes, 16, of Hilltop, was appearing in Franklin County Court on two delinquency cases involving firearms and had just been ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device when the fray erupted.

The fatal shot was fired around 12:40 p.m. by a Franklin County sheriff’s office deputy who was knocked to the ground by members of the defendant’s family. He fired a single shot during the scuffle. The teen died at a downtown Columbus hospital about a half hour after being shot in the abdomen, the reports said.

The deputy wasn’t immediately named, but the sheriff’s office said it would do so at a later date. The deputy was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, which weren’t disclosed.

“At some point, as the hearing was concluding, there was an altercation involving the deputy and some of the family members,” Franklin County Chief Deputy Rick Minerd, who oversees investigations, told The Alliance Review. “And what we have learned was the deputy was knocked to the ground as part of that altercation where he came under attack ... one shot was fired.”

Defense attorney Jennifer Brisco told The Columbus Dispatch Joseph Haynes had become emotional during and after the hearing, and chaos erupted when a deputy threatened to arrest him.

“Joseph was a little out of sorts because of how things went at the hearing,” Brisco told The Dispatch. “The officer threatened to lock him up and a scuffle broke out. Joseph was resisting, and that’s when there was a scuffle.”

It’s unclear how many people were involved in the fray. The teen’s grandmother, Geraldine Haynes, told The Dispatch the scuffle ensued when the deputy restrained the teen's mother, then "slung Joey on the ground.” She said Joseph Haynes had his hands above his head when the shot was fired.

Keith Ferrell, executive vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9 union that represents Franklin County deputies, offered a different version of the chaotic scene. He told The Dispatch that people involved in the scuffle were reaching for the deputy’s service weapon and stun gun.

“We’re responsive to people’s actions. We don’t choose to come to work and shoot people,” Ferrell said. “It gives our people very little choice to protect themselves and the public.

“Unfortunately, he had to stop the threat,” Ferrell said. “It was a significant struggle. And his injuries support that.”

Minerd told The Alliance Review the fifth floor of the downtown courthouse is set aside for juvenile proceedings. "That's a very busy courtroom, very emotional floor here in the courthouse," he said.

Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady told The Dispatch public safety is an ongoing concern at the courthouse and that he would “certainly be willing” to discuss added security measures with court authorities.

“Any time there’s a deputy-involved shooting where we’ve got the public involved, obviously it’s a terrible incident,” he said. “Our hearts go out to the deputy, the family and anyone involved.”

Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting at the request of the sheriff’s office.

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