COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The city of Columbus has shut down two Hilltop homes that officials say are “dangerous” and have a history of drug-related activity.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced Thursday that an emergency court order had been obtained to take action against a home at 292 Columbian Avenue and a home at 569 South Wheatland Avenue, with the latter being boarded up by police.
Klein states the two homes had been the scenes of multiple calls for service in recent months.
“Children and families should not have to worry about violent crime and dangerous drug houses in their neighborhoods. That’s why the City continues to act aggressively to shut down drug houses, target drug trafficking and keep residents safe,” Klein said in a release.
Some of the callouts at the Columbian Avenue location include:
- According to court documents, CPD and CFD were dispatched to the premises on Jan. 7, 2020 on report of an overdose. CPD and CFD responded to another overdose report on Nov. 13, 2020, where a victim was pronounced deceased shortly after officers arrived.
- On Aug. 5, 2021, Whitehall police executed a search warrant at the premises, locating firearms, trafficking paraphernalia, burner phones and cash at the property. Detectives also impounded a vehicle associated with suspects and located more firearms.
- On Sept. 9, 2021, Whitehall Police and CPD SWAT executed another warrant at the premises, locating crack cocaine and fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cash, multiple cell phones, a digital scale, a ski mask and a firearm at the property.
- On Nov. 2, 2021, CPD responded to a Shotspotter alert in the area, and witnesses identified the property as the intended target of a drive by shooting.
Some of the callouts at the Wheatland Avenue location include:
- According to court documents, Columbus police initiated an undercover investigation of the Wheatland Ave. premises in Nov. 2021, with CPD Investigative Tactical (INTAC) Detectives conducting controlled purchases of crack cocaine on multiple occasions.
- On Nov. 15, 2021 INTAC Detectives, with the assistance of a confidential informant, conducted a controlled purchase of crack cocaine at the premises. Again on Nov. 15, CPD INTAC Detectives conducted another covert purchase of crack cocaine at the premises.
- On Nov. 16, CPD INTAC Detectives, with the assistance of a confidential informant, conducted a controlled purchase of crack cocaine at the premises. That same day, CPD INTAC Detectives executed a search warrant on the premises, but no additional narcotics were found inside.
- CPD responded to multiple calls for service to the property from Nov. 2021 to Jan. 2022, including multiple reported robberies at the premises.
“It’s distressing to know that crack cocaine and fentanyl were being sold at these properties so close to a number of west side parks, community centers and churches—the heart of our community,” Assistant City Attorney Zach Gwin, who is the Zone Initiative attorney for the city’s west side, said in the release. “We want to thank the Columbus Division of Police and Whitehall Police, and hope these court rulings provide relief to area residents as we continue our efforts to clean up dangerous drug houses that threaten our community.”