Cedric Cole, a 53-year-old father and artist, was a man remembered for his love of drawing and his devotion to his two young children. His mother, Gloria Steele, recalled his talent and his plans to build a career from his art. On a community memorial page, he was described as a "very help kind willing man would do anything for anymore." His death left his family heartbroken, with his mother describing the pain as feeling like someone had "smashed my heart in two."
The evening of October
6, 2026, turned tragic in Columbus, Ohio's Hilltop neighborhood. At approximately 7:54 p.m., Columbus police officers patrolling the 2100 block of Clarendon Lane heard gunfire. Simultaneously, a ShotSpotter gunfire detection system sent an alert for the same area. Arriving at the scene near Sullivant Avenue, officers found Cedric Cole suffering from a gunshot wound. A neighbor later recounted hearing what sounded like a party in a nearby alley, with people laughing and having a good time, just before three gunshots suddenly rang out.
Emergency medics from the Columbus Division of Fire transported Cole to Grant Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, in critical condition. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he was pronounced dead at 8:27 p.m. His death was recorded as the 64th homicide in the city of Columbus for 2026. Investigators from the Columbus Division of Police Homicide Unit began working the case, learning that several people were seen in the area before the shooting and that an argument may have preceded the fatal gunfire.
Within a week, the investigation led to the arrests of three juvenile suspects. Police charged two 14-year-olds, Jaih'zeir Williams and Jesus Antonio-Lopez, and 15-year-old Vanara Nu with murder in connection with Cole's death. Reports from the scene indicated that three young men in tracksuits and masks were seen running away after the shooting. The three teenagers were taken into custody and held at the Franklin County Juvenile Intervention Center.
The arrests brought little comfort to Cole's mother, who expressed shock and deeper grief upon learning the young ages of those accused. "I couldn't believe it. Why would you have your kids out there that late and out there with guns?" Gloria Steele said in an interview. "How do you not know what your kids are doing?… Someone has to be accountable for this." The family planned a funeral to celebrate his life later that month.
As of October 2026, the three teens were facing proceedings in juvenile court. The two 14-year-olds were arraigned and scheduled for another court appearance on October 20. Under Ohio law, prosecutors have the option to pursue a discretionary bindover, which would involve asking a juvenile court judge to transfer the cases to adult criminal court. The decision on whether to try the teens as adults remained an open question as the case moved through the legal system. The Columbus Police Homicide Unit has asked anyone with information to contact them at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).
