On a Saturday afternoon, the bustling parking lot of a north Columbus Kroger became the scene of a tragedy that cut short the life of 18-year-old Aboubacar Fofana. On June 13, 2026, a report of a fight and shots fired sent officers to the 1400 block of Worthington Centre Drive around 3:20 p.m. Upon their arrival, the officers found a chaotic scene with a shell casing on the ground, but the victim was nowhere in sight.
A short time later, they learned that Fofana, suffering from a gunshot wound, had been taken to a nearby hospital. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he was pronounced dead at 5:11 p.m.
The investigation into the young man's death quickly painted a grim picture of the events that transpired. According to court documents and witness accounts, a physical altercation had broken out in the parking lot involving several individuals. Dash camera footage from a witness's vehicle captured multiple males assaulting another man. Amid the brawl, a man identified as 18-year-old Mohamed Jalloh, who was an employee at the Kroger, reportedly retrieved a handgun from a white Lincoln SUV. Witnesses saw Jalloh, referred to as "Mo," run towards the fight and fire a single shot, which struck Fofana. Following the shooting, Jalloh fled the scene in the same white Lincoln.
The Columbus Police Department swiftly identified Mohamed Jalloh as the primary suspect. He was charged with the murder of Aboubacar Fofana. Investigators utilized surveillance video and witness testimony, including identification of Jalloh from photos by three witnesses, to link him to the crime. He was apprehended and booked into the Franklin County jail. During his arraignment, a judge set his bond at a stern $1 million. The case against Jalloh is now moving through the criminal justice system, with the community and Fofana's grieving family awaiting the final outcome of a senseless act of violence that silenced a young life in a grocery store parking lot.
