On May 28, 2024, at approximately 10:45 p.m., Columbus police officers responded to a reported shooting in the 1000 block of Parsons Avenue near East Whittier Street, close to the Merion Village area. Upon arrival, they discovered 36-year-old Joshua Hunt suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene at 10:51 p.m.
Following an investigation, authorities arrested 34-year-old Michael Houston in connection with Hunt's death.
Houston was charged with murder and detained in the Franklin County Jail. The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation. Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein noted that his office had been collaborating with local businesses, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), and neighborhood groups since March to develop safety plans for the area where the incident occurred.
In a related development, Joshua Hunt had been arrested in April 2024 for the death of 61-year-old Dwayne Dowdell. Dowdell was found unconscious and bleeding from the head at the intersection of Parsons Avenue and East Whittier Street on March 29, 2024. He died the following day. Hunt was charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Dowdell's death and was held on a $1 million bond.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding both incidents. They urge anyone with information to contact the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.
