How technology helped in I-70 crime spree
WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) – One of the men charged in connection with a crime spree that left one suspect dead and sent a Columbus police officer to the hospital will remain in federal custody until his trial.
Fazsal Darod is one of two men arrested after last Thursday’s car theft-turned-bank-robbery that led to a shootout with police on Interstate 70. Darod was arrested outside a Columbus home early Friday morning.
According to federal court records, Darod, via his attorney, formally waived a detention hearing Tuesday and was ordered to remain in federal custody without bond until his trial.
The second suspect, Aden Jama of Reynoldsburg, was arrested Saturday at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport by the U.S. Marshal’s Service, allegedly getting ready to board a plane for Turkey. He has yet to be extradited back to Ohio.
The officer who was shot, who has not been identified, continues to recover in the hospital.
The third suspect, Abdisamad Ismail, 19, died in the shootout with police.
Investigators said technology helped find the two suspects, and that includes Whitehall police, who gained access to the security system at the car lot where the group allegedly stole a Porsche.
That technology, provided by Fusus, has only been in use for about a month.
According to police, Fusus is described as a “real-time intelligence ecosystem,” a network that allows local businesses with security cameras to opt into the program. From there, Whitehall police can tap into the system if there is a call for service or, in this case, an active burglary.
Whitehall Police Sgt. Jon Earl said in the case of July 6, officers, dispatchers, and crime analysts were able to log in in real-time. Earl said this allowed officers to be about 40 seconds behind the stolen car.
Earl said not only does it help paint a clear picture for officers, but it can also do so at a time the 911 caller may be struggling to explain what is happening.
“A lot of time, we’ll get information from the callers that isn’t accurate,” Earl said. “They might get turned around, they might think they are going north when they are going south. We can just verify information in real-time.”
Earl said Beyers Auto, where the suspects allegedly stole the car used in the spree, was one of the first businesses on board with the technology.
Fusus is also in the area this week to help bring more businesses on board, Earl added.