COLUMBUS, Ohio — A 21-year-old man is dead hours after he reportedly barricaded himself inside a home in the University District on Sunday, police said.
Columbus Division of Police Sgt. James Fuqua told 10TV that officers were called to the 1500 block of Worthington Street just after 8 a.m. on a report of a burglary in progress. Fuqua said an armed man forced entry into the home and displayed behavior inside that made the 911 caller believe he was a threat.
When officers arrived, the man had taken off on foot.
Fuqua said they had an initial interaction with the suspect outside where officers made several commands for the suspect to put his firearm down on the street. During this encounter, Fuqua confirmed multiple officers fired shots. Franklin County Municipal Court documents state that the suspect also fired shots at officers.
The man reportedly refused to put down his firearm and ran to a house in the 100 block of West 8th Avenue. Officers entered the home and found the suspect hiding in a room where more shots were fired.
Fuqua initially said there was an exchange of gunfire, but later clarified that it's unclear at this time if the suspect returned fire.
The suspect, identified as Asante Taaj Omar Miller, was later found dead inside the home, police said.
The officers who fired shots are all OK, police say.
Miller was barricaded for several hours with SWAT units and police officers surrounding the scene.
No other injuries have been reported.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been called to investigate the incident.
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