Death by Cop 2021-2025
Search fatalities
You can use any or all of the fields to refine the search.
Austin Paige Huntzinger
Age : 29
Gender : Male
Race : White
Date : 08/09/2023
Location : 45 Great Southern Blvd
City : Columbus
County : Franklin
State : Ohio
Agency : Columbus Division of Police
Officer(s) :Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during “shots fired” call
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 08/09/2023, shortly before 7:30 a.m., Columbus Division of Police officers responded to the area of 45 Great Southern Boulevard after receiving reports that a man had fired shots during a domestic disturbance. When officers arrived, Austin Paige Huntzinger was outside the residence armed with a firearm. During the encounter, Huntzinger fired at responding officers, striking one officer. Two Columbus police officers returned fire, striking Huntzinger multiple times. He was transported to Grant Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The wounded officer survived after receiving emergency medical treatment.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation assumed responsibility for the independent investigation. Investigators collected body-worn camera footage, dash-camera recordings, witness statements, forensic evidence, and crime scene evidence. The BCI case file confirms body-camera video from the involved officers and additional responding officers was reviewed as part of the investigation.
Columbus police identified Huntzinger the following day but withheld the identities of the involved officers under Ohio's Marsy's Law, stating only that one officer was a 15-year veteran and the other a 12-year veteran of the department.
