Trending Topics

Ohio officer cleared in fatal shooting of armed man

The officer shot the gunman multiple times after he refused to drop his weapon

By Theodore Decker
The Columbus Dispatch

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus police officer acted within policy when he shot and killed an armed North Linden man last year, police said.

Officer Bryan Mason, 28, was among the officers who went to John E. Kaufmann Jr.'s house at 3576 Beulah Rd. on Dec. 17.

Kaufmann, 51, had called police to say he wanted another man out of his house and that police “better get over here real quick,” or he would shoot him. About the same time, the other man called 911 and said, “I’ve got a gun to my face.”

The two men could be heard arguing in the calls, including about who had awakened whom.

When officers arrived, they saw Kaufmann inside pointing a gun at the other man.

Mason went into the house through the back door, ordered Kaufmann to drop the gun, and fired multiple times when Kaufmann didn’t comply, police said. Kaufmann died in an area hospital.

Copyright 2013 The Columbus Dispatch

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU