On July 28, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in north Columbus, Ohio, resulting in the death of 23-year-old Nasier Reid. The shooting took place outside Jack's Corner Pub, located near Summit Street and Tompkins Street.
According to police reports, Reid was involved in an altercation with two individuals, 20-year-old David Allen and 21-year-old Jakai Watts, before the shooting occurred.
The owner of the bar stated that surveillance footage showed Allen shooting Reid multiple times before fleeing the scene.
Law enforcement responded to the incident and found Reid unresponsive on Tompkins Street with gunshot wounds. Despite efforts to save him, Reid was pronounced dead at 2:13 am. The victim's family described Reid as a provider and protector, mourning the loss of their loved one.
In the aftermath of the shooting, authorities identified David Allen as the primary suspect. A warrant was issued for his arrest on the same day as the incident, but his whereabouts remained unknown for several months. On October 3, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) successfully apprehended Allen in Cleveland, Ohio. He was taken into custody in the 10000 Block of Stoughton Avenue and subsequently held in the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office Jail, pending extradition back to Columbus. Allen has been charged with murder in connection with Reid's death.
The second suspect, Jakai Watts, was also arrested and charged with tampering with evidence in relation to the case.
This incident has had broader implications for the community. In response to Reid's shooting and other criminal activities, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein filed a lawsuit seeking to declare Jack's Corner Pub a public nuisance. Court documents revealed that over the past two years, there had been 38 calls for service or complaints to police about the bar, including a reported homicide from March 2022. As a result of the lawsuit, the pub has been closed and put up for sale, though the nuisance label will remain with the property regardless of new ownership.
