State Watch

Four people killed in shooting near Columbus, Ohio

Four people were shot and killed at an apartment building in Ohio on Monday afternoon.

West Jefferson Police Chief Christopher Floyd told reporters that three victims were found in the apartment and one outsideaccording to local reports. A passerby reported the shooting.

The victims were identified on Tuesday by West Jefferson Police as Andrew Thomas Swindall, 45, Shawn A Wright, 45, Jamie Danielle Lavender, 30, and Leon Billy Daniels, 38.

Floyd said that the slayings may have happened early Monday afternoon, adding he doesn’t believe it was a drive-by shooting.

“We don’t know at this point if it was a robbery gone bad or what it was,” he told The Columbus Dispatch.

Officials have not yet identified any suspects.

West Jefferson reportedly hasn’t seen a homicide since 2012.

“Things like this just don’t happen in West Jefferson, or don’t happen in small towns,” Floyd said.

This is at least the second multiple-death shooting in Ohio in the last few days after three people were killed at a Youngstown bar on Sunday. 

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office are assisting West Jefferson with their ongoing investigation, according to the Dispatch report. 

The Hill has reached out to the other law enforcement agencies for comment.

Updated: 4:40 p.m.