Colin Jennings Obituary, Man killed by Columbus police while in mental health crisis

Colin Jennings Obituary – The Franklin County Coroner’s office released an autopsy report on Thursday detailing the death of a man who was shot multiple times by police during an apparent mental health crisis. The report revealed that 26-year-old Colin Jennings was shot three times by a Columbus police officer on February 22, resulting in fatal injuries to his neck and chest.

Body camera footage from the incident showed Jennings approaching the officers with a knife, repeatedly asking to be shot, and expressing a desire to die. Despite attempts by the officers to give verbal commands and use a stun gun, Jennings was ultimately shot three times. Paramedics provided medical assistance at the scene before transporting Jennings to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries. A toxicology report conducted during the autopsy indicated that Jennings did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death. Jennings’ mother criticized the police response, stating that her son had a history of mental health struggles and that the officers’ actions were overly aggressive.

The Department of Public Safety confirmed that the apartment complex where Jennings resided, catering to individuals dealing with mental health and addiction issues, was not flagged in their system. The officer involved in the shooting has not been identified due to Marsy’s Law, and the incident is currently being investigated by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.