Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person died Friday after a shooting in Columbus' Hilltop neighborhood.

The shooting happened at about 3:45 p.m. along Raleigh Drive.

Map shows approximate location

Police said one person was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later died. Officers are searching for a suspect.

No other details were immediately available.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man accused of a crime against students at the Ohio State University pleaded guilty to violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio, Timur Mamatov, of Tipp City, Ohio, admitted to violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act after he physically assaulted two students for their religion, causing injury on Nov. 10, 2023.

NCAA hands down punishment in Michigan sign-stealing scheme

Court documents state that Mamatov and a friend engaged in an altercation with five students outside of a bar on North High Street near Ohio State’s campus. Mamatov asked one of the students, who was wearing a “Chai” pendant around his neck, if he was Jewish and punched him after he confirmed his heritage.

A second victim suffered a fractured nose as the fight poured into the street. For a previous report on this story view the video player above.

Mamatov, 20, was charged by bill of information on July 3 and a plea was agreed to that same day. Violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a federal crime, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, though a sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.

The incident was the second alleged hate crime that day and occurred just blocks away from the Hillel Wexner Jewish Student Center, where vandalism was caught on camera at about 1 p.m. Police said two women entered the center and asked to look around, which they were allowed to do. One of the women went into a room and began taking Israeli flags.

When confronted, she ran out, yelling an obscenity and, “You support genocide. Free Palestine.” She then dropped the flags, and then she and the other woman got into a car being driven by a man and left.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A flyover ramp on Interstate 270 will open this weekend on the East Side.

According to ODOT spokesperson Hannah Salem, the I-270 southbound to Interstate 70 eastbound flyover ramp is scheduled to open Saturday morning. The ramp has been in the works for three years, part of ongoing improvements to the interstates near Brice Road. Salem said the state will send out more information once the ramp is officially opened.

Leading up to the opening, ODOT will have overnight closures on many of the ramps between I-270 and I-70 near Brice Road. Find a full list of those closures here. Most closed areas will be reopened by 5 a.m.

Ramp improvements near Brice Road (Courtesy photo/ODOT)

The project began in summer 2022 and is part of the state's Far East Freeway projects. The flyover ramp is replacing an existing loop ramp. As part of the project, ODOT also adjusted the ramps between I-270 North, I-70 East and Brice Road to minimize weaving and merging.

The total construction cost of ODOT's reconfiguring at I-70 and I-270 near Brice Road is $76.68 million.

Once finished, the state plans to move on to reconfigure ramps from Brice Road to I-70 westbound, reconstruct the I-70 westbound to I-270 northbound ramp and widen or add lanes to the area for easier transportation. Construction on the next phase is expected to begin this year.

Far East Freeway improvement areas (Courtesy photo/ODOT)

The work near Brice Road is one of four project areas ODOT is tackling along I-70. ODOT said the Far East Freeway projects will address the growing travel demands between Downtown and eastern Columbus suburbs.

The state aims to boost safety with targeted improvements along the portion of I-70 that runs parallel to Main Street from Whitehall to Reynoldsburg. Much of the planned work has not yet begun, and the state does not currently have a planned end construction date.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The NCAA on Friday revealed the punishment Michigan's football program will receive for its sign-stealing scandal, including a multi-million dollar fine and a suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore.

The NCAA investigation found "overwhelming evidence" of an "impermissible scouting scheme" over a three-year period from 2021 to 2023 -- the year the team won a national championship.

Michigan is classified as a "repeat violator," according to the NCAA, which said there was enough grounds for a multi-year postseason ban. However, the organization said it didn't wish to punish any student-athletes for the actions of the coaches and staff.

"Thus, the panel determined a more appropriate penalty is an offsetting financial penalty instead of a two-year postseason ban," the NCAA said.

Solidifying the Buckeyes’ offensive line before Texas opener

Financial penalties are expected to exceed $20 million and include a $50,000 fine, a 10% fine on the football program’s budget, a 10% fine on Michigan’s 2025-26 scholarships and a fine equivalent to the anticipated loss of postseason revenue for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Michigan also faces a 25% reduction in official visits during the upcoming season and a 14-week prohibition on football recruiting communications during the probation period.

Connor Stalions, a former a low-level staffer who conducted the scouting and sign-stealing operation, was issued an eight-year show-cause order. Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh faces a 10-year show-cause order following the conclusion of his previous four-year order effective Aug. 7, 2028. Harbaugh and Stalions will be prohibited from engaging in all athletically related activities.

A show-cause penalty makes it harder for schools to hire them during those respective timeframes, according to ESPN.

In the scheme, Stalions purchased tickets for games of upcoming opponents and transferred them to individuals who would attend the games. They would film the signal callers of their future opponents, which violates rules surrounding in-person scouting. The individuals included another staff member, interns and acquaintances, according to the NCAA. The group was referred to as the "KGB."

One of the games Stalions reportedly purchased tickets to was the 2023 Ohio State game against Penn State. The NCAA said Stalions spent about $35,000 on tickets during the 2022 season.

Ramaswamy sets Ohio record with $9M for governor’s race; Acton at $1.4M

Stalions, Harbaugh, and Moore all failed to cooperate with the investigation, according to the NCAA. Stalions admitted to throwing a phone and film into a pond. He also told an intern to "clear out" emails, texts and videos, which he said he didn't remember asking them to do.

"We may never know the full extent which other members in the program were aware of what Mr. Stalions was doing," said Norman Bay, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions public member.

Moore deleted a 52-message text thread with Stalions after media reports of the scheme surfaced in October 2023, according to the NCAA. A day later, he deleted a single text from a school-issued phone -- something he attributed to a lack of storage but later admitted it was because of the news.

Harbaugh refused to provide records or be interviewed for the investigation.

"The violation was serious to begin with, but the coverup made it even worse," Bay said.

NBC4's Whitney Harding asked if there is concern that the punishment sets a precedent to not cooperate with the investigation, after the committee said multiple times they didn't have all the evidence they needed because of a lack of cooperation.

"I would hope that the takeaway is not that you can fail to cooperate and get away with it," Bay said. "I would hope the takeaway is if you fail to cooperate there can be really serious consequences, just as the consequences here were serious. I guess I'd be very disappointed if people read this decision in a contrary fashion."

The committee clarified that it didn't vacate any of Michigan's wins because that punishment is reserved for when there is ineligible competition, which was not a factor in this case.

The Wolverines open the season on Aug. 30 at home against New Mexico and then play at Oklahoma, where Moore was an offensive lineman, on Sept. 6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) — Another central Ohio theater is getting a new marquee, an apparent trend after both Bellefontaine’s Holland Theatre and the Garden Theater in Columbus's Short North recently received signage makeovers.

Last week, the Strand Theatre in Delaware removed its current 1930s-era marquee in anticipation of an upgraded digital sign, according to Tracey Peyton, managing director at the Strand Theatre. Peyton said the 109-year-old Strand will be outfitted with a sign that replicates the “old frame's specs” and includes a new vertical blade.

NBC4’s Monica Day, family welcome daughter Piper

“As one of the 10 oldest theatres in the nation still showing first-run films, I think it's important to understand that many historic theatres are due for upgrades, if they haven't already had one,” Peyton said. “And with lots of those theatres, a vertical blade was installed to show the way for pedestrians to find where the entertainment was back in the day. It served as a beacon for them.”

According to David Hejmanowski, a Strand board member, some of the sign's original metal framework might be in good enough condition to be “incorporated into the structure of the new marquee,” allowing “portions of the original 1930s sign [to] live on in its successor!”

Hejmanowski mentioned that removing the old marquee “revealed several treasures.” He pointed out that the previous neon lighting, from the time when the Schine Theater Company operated the building, had left a shadow visible under the Strand Theatre signage. Additionally, the supportive framework for the original 1916 arch was uncovered behind the old marquee's assembly.

Columbus suburb ranks among Realtor.com’s top 10 ‘hottest’ ZIP codes in America

“One can clearly see how the center storefront panel was removed and built out to be the theater entrance,” Hejmanowski said.

• Photo Courtesy/ The Strand Theatre
• Photo Courtesy/ Tracey Peyton
• Photo Courtesy/ Hayden Reed
• Photo Courtesy/ Kristin Walton
• Photo Courtesy/ Tracey Peyton
• Photo Courtesy/ The Strand Theatre
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski
• Photo Courtesy/David Hejmanowski

Wagner Electric Signs, a three-generation northeast Ohio sign maker and the same company that crafted the Holland Theatre's recent marquee, will fabricate and install the Strand's new marquee. Peyton said the marquee and blade will be mounted sometime in November 2025.

Several issues led to the decision to replace the marquee, according to Hejmanowski.  

“Significant structural wear was evident and despite repeated attempts, the chasing incandescent lights could not be returned to working order,” he said.

Plans for the theater, which is owned by its board of directors, began in February 2022, Peyton said. Working jointly with the City of Delaware's historic preservation commission, the goal was to balance historic preservation with modern digitization. Additionally, the community raised $200,000 for the upgrade.

‘Betrayal:’ Vendors say Ohio cannabis festival had significant safety concerns

“It's not lost on us that the reason the Strand has survived the Great Depression, the Spanish flu, the rise of movieplexes, and the COVID pandemic is because of the loving-kindness of the Delaware community and beyond,” Peyton said.

“As a Strand board member, I want to make sure folks know that we are also very sad to see the old marquee go — we extended its life for several years trying to preserve it,” Hejmanowski shared on social media. “We want to preserve the Strand’s fantastic history as it approaches its 110th birthday, but we also want it to be here — vibrant and successful — 110 years from now!”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - This week on Columbus Business Beat, Digital Anchor Rachel Ramsey talks to Mark Somerson, Managing Editor of Columbus Business First, about business news across central Ohio.

To watch this week’s episode, view the video player above.

• Nationwide Realty Investors is looking to convert 280 N. High St., the 18-story office formerly known as Two Nationwide Plaza, into residential housing.
• Vera on Broad apartment complex was sold to the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority for $29.3 million. With CMHA taking over ownership, the units in the complex will be available for renters with Housing Choice Vouchers.
• The city of New Albany has plans to purchase the former Discover building, located at 6500 New Albany Road E.
• Marino's Seafood Fish & Chips at 1216 W. 5th Ave. is reopening after a previous deal fell through to make the location an Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips.

List: 10 things to do this weekend around central Ohio

NBC4 digital reporters David Rees and Ava Boldizar also discuss some of their business stories in this latest episode.

• New Jersey-based chicken chain Flamin’ Feathers is opening in Lewis Center at 1329 Cameron Ave.
• The City of Pickerington is considering establishing a district where residents and visitors would be permitted to drink alcoholic beverages outdoors. 

MOUNT GILEAD, Ohio (WCMH) – A jury trial for a man accused of killing a Morrow County sheriff’s deputy has been scheduled for the summer of 2026.

According to Morrow County court records, pretrial motions in the murder trial of Brian Wilson will begin on May 8, 2026, with jury selection to begin one month later.

Wilson, who could face the death penalty, is being held on 14 charges, including aggravated murder, premeditated aggravated murder, felony murder, three counts of felonious assault, attempted murder, attempted aggravated murder, domestic violence, two counts of unlawful discharging of a weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm, and discharging a firearm while intoxicated. Eleven of the charges include a three-year weapon specification. See an earlier report in the video player above.

Suspect in fatal shooting near north Columbus bar arrested after police standoff in Springfield

• Daniel Sherrer, Morrow County Sheriff deputy.
• Brian Wilson, accused of killing deputy Daniel Sherrer, appears in a Morrow County courtroom, June 17, 2025. (NBC4/Brett Mills)
• (NBC4/Anna Hoffman)
• (NBC4)
• Deputy Daniel Sherrer's funeral procession began in Dayton, Ohio and traveled through Columbus to Mount Gilead, May 28, 2025. (NBC4)
• Deputy Daniel Sherrer's funeral procession began in Dayton, Ohio and traveled through Columbus to Mount Gilead, May 28, 2025. (NBC4)
• (NBC4)
• Deputy Daniel Sherrer's funeral procession began in Dayton, Ohio and traveled through Columbus to Mount Gilead, May 28, 2025. (NBC4)
• (NBC4/Isabel Cleary)
• Deputy Daniel Sherrer's funeral procession began in Dayton, Ohio and traveled through Columbus to Mount Gilead, May 28, 2025. (NBC4)
• NBC4 Photo / Samantha Bender

Those charges stem from the shooting of deputy Daniel Sherrer, who was responding to a domestic disturbance call at Wilson’s home on County Road 26, just south of Marengo.

Upon arrival, Wilson reportedly told Sherrer, “You better just f—— go if you want your family to see you tomorrow.” Several gunshots were heard and Sherrer was hit during the exchange. More shots were fired, a court affidavit said, and two firearms were recovered, including a semiautomatic pistol and a revolver.

Wilson was also shot during the exchange and was hospitalized for nearly a week. He pleaded not guilty and initially issued a $5 million bond without the possibility of paying 10% by a municipal court judge. That bond was amended in common pleas court to $9 million, the amount Morrow County prosecuting attorneys were originally seeking.

Ohio bill inspired by leaf blower theft aims to revise state’s definition of burglary

If found guilty, Wilson's sentencing date has been scheduled for July 8.

After his death, Sherrer was honored with a 120-mile procession, and Gov. Mike DeWine ordered flags flown at half staff. Sherrer was laid to rest on June 4 at a private ceremony at Marion Cemetery.

NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person was taken to a hospital Friday morning after a shooting involving Newark police.

No officers were injured. One person was taken to Mount Carmel East hospital in Columbus after the incident in the 600 block of West Church Street, near the Licking County Family YMCA. The person's condition was not immediately known.

Suspect in fatal shooting near north Columbus bar arrested after police standoff in Springfield

The shooting was confirmed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which was called to the scene about 8:20 a.m. The BCI typically investigates shootings involving police agencies.

GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH) -- Parents and teachers have "real ethical concerns" about political promotions that list South Western City School's attorney as a panelist for a conservative education event.

Attorney Omar Tarazi will speak alongside five other panelists at a Future of Education in Ohio event featuring gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy as the keynote speaker. South Western City Schools is not affiliated with the event, which will take place on Wednesday in Hilliard, but promotional materials identify him as an attorney for the district.

“I think it's a problem," parent Megan Luhrman said. "The district and the school board is supposed to be nonpartisan, and he is the attorney for the school board, yet he's speaking on a very political, partisan panel.”

Central Ohio schools limit phones ahead of new law

Lurhman is a "tried and true Republican" and an attorney herself. She said in his role as a lawyer, Tarazi is not a representative of the district and she thinks presenting as one is "misleading."

A district spokesperson said event organizers did not contact South Western City School for approval to use the district's name or likeness. According to Tarazi's contract, he is not a district employee. The spokesperson said the event is entirely separate from the district and that Tarazi's contract does not allow him to act as an official representative of the district.

The South-Western Education Association said it is concerned about the perception of the panel. Spokesperson Emmalee Harding said public education is nonpartisan, and the union hopes Tarazi's panel appearance does not reflect the district's position.

"The South-Western Education Association is concerned about any representation of our school district as endorsing or supporting any political candidate, let alone a candidate who supports plans to dismantle public education and hurt the students we serve," Harding said.

Parents and the South-Western Education Association have voiced discontent with Tarazi’s employment for more than a year now. Before Tarazi was hired at $9,000 per month to attend board meetings and assist the school board, he was billing $20,000 a month in undisclosed services. NBC4 has the billing statements for those charges, but all services are redacted due to attorney-client privilege. See previous coverage in the video player above.

Bill would increase Ohio minimum wage to $15 by 2029

Lurhman said she found the complete redaction of Tarazi's services lacks transparency and is unnecessary. She said attorney-client privilege would still be protected if billing statements gave general descriptions without identifying details, using the example "phone call about employment matter, 15 minutes."

Luhrman said beyond politics, she’s concerned that he is speaking on a panel about public education without a background in education law. Tarazi told NBC4 in 2024 that his lack of educational law experience is not as big a deal as parents have said, as a school district has "every kind of legal issue."

“As a parent, I'm very concerned because we're talking about someone who has zero educational law background, someone who's not tied into the modern trends, is not part of the community of education lawyers making recommendations to a board that is shaping my son's future,” Luhrman said.

Lurhman practices real estate and corporate law, but said unlike Tarazi, she is a part of the Ohio Bar Association’s Education Law Committee because it’s an issue that affects her and her family. Lurhman said as of Thursday, Tarazi was still not listed as a committee member.

The panel, titled The Future of Education in Ohio, also features state Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) and state Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville). Tarazi's involvement with the panel comes just months after families and teachers voiced concerns about conservative advisory groups that the board of education joined.

Report: Trump considering federal investment in Intel to help Ohio plant

The board and district said they joined four groups to get different perspectives, but community members took issue with two groups that ask members to sign pledges aligning with conservative educational policies, including statements denouncing DEI and “gender confusion.” Upon joining, dozens of parents and students spoke with NBC4, some of whom said they would leave the school district over the decision.

Although she differs politically from many parents who have voiced concerns to NBC4, Luhrman said her political affiliation also raises issues about Tarazi.

“As conservatives, we are traditionally fiscally conservative,” Luhrman said. “Protecting the taxpayer dollars is what we're all about, but we're spending more money than I make in a month on someone who has no educational law background.”

Panel organizers did not respond to requests for comment about Tarazi's involvement with the panel. Tarazi and his fellow panelists will take the stage at the Makoy Center in Hilliard Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A court case over a stolen leaf blower has inspired an Ohio bill that aims to change the state’s legal definition of burglary. 

Ohio law currently defines burglary as trespassing into a structure by force, stealth or deception with the intent to commit any criminal offense inside. House Bill 252, sponsored by Reps. Gary Click (R-Vickery) and Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), would remove the requirement for force, stealth or deception.

Bill would increase Ohio minimum wage to $15 by 2029

Prosecutors brought the idea for the bill to lawmakers, according to Click. Louis Tobin, president of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, said the bill stems from a Supreme Court case in which justices were tasked with deciding whether the theft of a $500 leaf blower from an open garage counted as burglary under Ohio law. 

In September 2020, Donald Bertram casually walked past a Scioto County homeowner into his garage and took the leaf blower, according to court records. Despite the homeowner asking Bertram to put the leaf blower back, he put it in his car and drove off with it. 

A short time later, police arrested Bertram and charged him with burglary, before a jury convicted him of the crime. He was sentenced to 8-12 years in prison for the second-degree felony.

However, Bertram appealed the decision on the basis that the state had failed to prove he used force, stealth or deception. The case reached the Ohio Supreme Court in 2023 and the state's highest court agreed with Bertram, vacating his sentence. 

Instead, the Ohio Supreme Court instructed the Scioto County Common Pleas Court to convict Bertram of a misdemeanor trespassing charge, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine. 

Ohio Democrats call for more transparency surrounding Intel project

“This is another one of those ‘only in Ohio’ moments that just ought not to be,” Click said at a hearing for the bill in May. “The fault does not lie with the justices of the Ohio Supreme Court. They rightfully interpreted the law. The fault is in the law itself, and we have the power to fix that.”

Click said Ohio’s requirement of the use of force, stealth or deception for burglary is unique. He pointed to the definitions of burglary for five other states, including California and Texas, which all define the crime as entering a structure with the intent to commit a crime and exclude the requirement seen in Ohio law. The FBI defines burglary as the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft, also without the need for force, stealth or deception.

Tobin, who testified in support of the bill, said the leaf blower theft is not an isolated incident, and criminals in multiple other Ohio cases have acted just as brazenly. He pointed to a 2013 case where a defendant walked into an open garage in the middle of the day and stole a lawnmower, and a 1998 case where a defendant walked into a victim’s unlocked apartment and walked out with her VCR. 

“The common factor in all of these cases, including Bertram, is that the criminal boldly walked into another’s home,” he said in June testimony. “The purpose of our burglary laws is to protect the occupants of homes from dangerous, unwanted intrusions. The danger isn’t created by the means of entry but by the entry itself.”

The legislation has also drawn support from the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Seneca County Sheriff’s Office and Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office. 

Ramaswamy sets Ohio record with $9 million for governor's race; Acton at $1.4 million

However, not everyone is on board. Zachary Miller, legislative policy manager with the Office of the Ohio Public Defender, said the proposed change would lead to a dramatic expansion of felony charges for acts that are currently “appropriately” classified as lesser offenses and could potentially lead to “unjust outcomes.”

“Without the ‘force, stealth or deception’ element, the line between a felony burglary and lesser misdemeanor offenses will be blurred,” Miller said. “The OPD urges the committee to consider the potential for over-criminalization and the erosion of a historically significant element of these offenses that HB 252 represents.”

The bill, introduced in April, still requires votes in both the House and Senate, as well as additional hearings, before potentially reaching Gov. Mike DeWine for final approval.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A suspect wanted in connection with a fatal shooting outside of a north Columbus bar has been arrested in Springfield, Ohio.

According to Springfield police an arrest was made after a Thursday night standoff at a Quality Inn hotel on East Leffel Lane. Andre Jordan, 34, was confirmed as the arrested suspect by the U.S. Marshal’s Service.

Two dead, five injured after three-way, fiery head-on collision in Delaware County

The confrontation between Jordan and Springfield PD, along with Clark County sheriff deputies and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, lasted several hours, between 7:30 and 11:30 p.m.

While there were reports of shots fired, there were no injuries during the standoff and Jordan is now listed as an inmate at Clark County Jail. He is charged with being a fugitive from justice in Clark County.

P:olice search for a suspect in New Albany after one person was shot dead outside of Ledo's Tavern in Old North Columbus, Aug. 8, 2025 (NBC4/Ronald Clark)

In Franklin County, Jordan was wanted in connection with the murder of 40-year-old Bryan Morris Jr., who was gunned down outside of Ledo’s Tavern, in Old North Columbus between Ohio State’s campus and Clintonville. The shooting reportedly occurred near the bar at 2:26 a.m. on Aug. 8.

Columbus police arrived at the intersection of North High Street and Duncan Street and found Morris suffering from a gunshot wound. He was hospitalized in critical condition but died soon afterward.

Jordan reportedly fled the scene in a white BMW, which was found parked at the LC New Albany Apartment Complex. CPD identified Jordan as the alleged suspect in a media release later that evening. 

Jordan will remain in Clark County custody until an extradition date is set for his transfer back to Franklin County.