The Columbus Division of Police is investigating after a man was allegedly assaulted, chased and shot at by a group of motorcylists.
Officers were dispatched to the 100 block of East Nationwide Boulevard around 7:24pm Saturday on the report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they spoke with the victim, identified as Mark Messer, 25. Messer told police he was waiting in his vehicle to turn left from South High Street onto East Nationwide Boulevard. Messer stated a group of motorcycle riders were nearby and one of the riders dismounted, walked up to the driver’s side of the vehicle and punched him through the open window.
Messer told investigators he turned left onto East Nationwide Boulevard after he was hit, and the group of motorcyclists followed him. Messer pulled into the parking lot behind the Flat Iron Café, and a motorcyclist came up and smashed his passenger-side window with a collapsible baton.
Messer attempted to flee, driving west on East Nationwide Boulevard when an unknown suspect pulled a handgun from a backpack and fired four to five shots at Messer. Police say none of the gunshots struck Messer or his vehicle and the unknown suspect sped away from the scene on a motorcycle.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Columbus Police Assault Detective Deryl Kowalski at 614-645-4189 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS(8477). Police are also asking business owners on East Nationwide Boulevard between North High Street and North 4th street to review their surveillance video to see if any part of the incident was recorded.