Ghanaian man shoots wife in attempted murder-suicide in Columbus, police say

The Columbus Division of Police is currently conducting an investigation into a tragic shooting incident that led to the death of a man and left a woman critically wounded. 

The deceased individual has been identified as 49-year-old Kwabena Michael Amoako.

According to law enforcement, Mr Amoako allegedly shot the woman before turning the gun on himself following an initial altercation classified as a domestic violence case.

The 50-year-old woman was swiftly transported to Riverside Methodist Hospital in a life-threatening condition. Authorities responded to a domestic violence complaint at approximately 10:35 p.m., in the vicinity of Glendon Road in the 4800 block, just north of Morse Road.

Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement discovered both Amoako and the injured woman suffering from gunshot wounds. Tragically, Amoako was pronounced dead by medics at 11:05 p.m.

A neighbor named Michael Montgomery, residing next door to the couple, shared his experience, stating that the couple had never caused any trouble and were amicable individuals. Montgomery became aware of the incident after the couple's three sons urgently knocked on his door.

"The 16-year-old said they were arguing, they heard two bangs, ran out the door, and came over here. They heard the shooting, and their father wouldn't let them back in the house, so they came knocking on the door," Montgomery recounted.

Montgomery also mentioned that Amoako and his wife had been active members of the Ghana community in Columbus and had resided in their home for nearly a decade.

The Columbus Division of Police recently disclosed that domestic violence-related homicides account for 20% of all homicides recorded in the city of Columbus this year. In light of this concerning statistic, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has been advocating for new gun laws to address the issue.

Mayor Ginther expressed his views, stating, "If we had red flag laws in place, those individuals targeted by abusers could have sought help. While it may not prevent every domestic violence-related homicide, if it can make a difference for even one family, the fight to implement such measures is worthwhile."