Columbus Police break up two large gatherings Saturday night
COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Columbus Police answered three calls for large gatherings during the state’s COVID-19 coronavirus stay at home order Saturday.
According to a post on the department’s Facebook page, police first responded to a call for loud music at an AirB&B on the 1200 block of Oakwood Avenue at approximately 11:30 p.m. Officers informed the renters of the state’s stay at home order, to which the renters replied that only a few people would be coming over, police said.
About 30 minutes later, officers were called back to the residence for a large fight. When they arrived, police report seeing more than 30 people both inside and outside the home.
Officers were able to disperse the large crowd without incident.
At approximately 12:20 a.m., while still on the scene at Oakwood Avenue, police received a call for another large party at an AirB&B on the 500 block of Jackson Street.
According to police, a man outside the home told officers there were about 60 people inside.
Police said when they knocked on the door, all the lights shut off and the blinds were shut.
When police announced themselves at the front door, a loaded handgun was allegedly thrown out an upstairs window into the yard.
When officers looked through a small window on the front door, they saw several people with rifles and handguns running out the back door, according to police.
Around the back of the house, police said a neighbor reported a large white SUV being loaded with several rifles.
Police were able to detain several of the people who were fleeing the home, charging one man with a concealed weapon violation and were able to recover three guns, two of which were stolen, police said.
“Officers did a great job of handling all three of these fast evolving incidents. Each incident had the potential to turn deadly were it not for the decisions of all involved,” police posted.