Holly MatkinColumbus, OH – Rioters stormed the Columbus Police Department (CPD) and bashed an officer in the face with a wooden club in response to the officer-involved shooting of an armed fugitive who exchanged gunfire with police inside a hospital emergency room earlier this week.
The CPD released bodycam footage on Wednesday showing the April 12 confrontation between police and 27-year-old Miles Jackson at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital in Westerville, WOSU reported.
Police said Jackson arrived at the hospital earlier in the day, but that he ended up walking away from the facility and was later found passed out in the parking lot of a nearby bank, according to ABC News.
Westerville police responded to a 911 call and arrived to find paramedics tending to Jackson.
Before Jackson was transported to the hospital, one of the Westerville officers conducted a brief pat-down as the suspect repeatedly asked for a cigarette and complained about his anxiety, ABC News reported.
Jackson was transported to the hospital emergency room where he was met by CPD officers due to the fact he had outstanding warrants for domestic violence, assault, resisting arrest, and falsification out of Columbus.
“You don’t have nothing sharp in your pockets, do you?” one of the officers asked as they were collecting Jackson’s property, according to ABC News. “Hopefully somebody would have caught that earlier.”
As an officer was searching the suspect’s left pants pocket a moment later, a bullet fell out, bodycam footage showed.
“Uh oh. Got a little bullet action,” the officer commented. “Don’t see people carrying those around every day.”
The then flipped through several cards he had taken off of the suspect, noting that they were all in other people’s names.
The officer resumed his search when he suddenly told his partner to take control of the suspect’s arm.
“He’s got a gun,” the officer warned his partner, according to ABC News.
They then began struggling with the suspect on the hospital bed, bodycam footage showed.
“You is grabbin’ my balls, man,” Jackson claimed as the officers fought to get his hands behind his back.
“Get out of there, now!” one officer ordered as the suspect tried to put his hands to the front area of his pants.
“I’m giving it to you! I’m going to comply, man!” Jackson claimed while continuing to fight their efforts.
One officer deployed his Taser, which caused the suspect to crumple to the floor, the video showed.
“It’s still in there,” the officer warned his partner as Jackson continued to resist.
One of the officers, who was on the ground with the suspect, tried tasing him again when a gunshot suddenly rang out, the video showed.
“He fired a shot off,” the officer said later in the video. “I don’t even know how I didn’t get hit.”
The officer with the Taser tried to scramble away from the suspect as a second shot rang out.
One of the officers was able to get out of the hospital room and ordered Jackson to drop the gun.
Meanwhile, his partner kept his weapon pointed at the suspect from his position on the opposite side of the hospital bed, the video showed.
“Drop the gun!” one of the officers ordered.
“I dropped it,” Jackson claimed.
“No, you didn’t!” the officer yelled back. “Put your hands up!”
Jackson ignored the officers’ commands and repeatedly told them he was complying and that he had his hands up, even though he didn’t.
“I’m just scared if I move, y’all gonna shoot me,” the suspect said.
Jackson continued ignoring the officers’ commands, prompting one of the officers outside the room deployed her Taser, the video showed.
A brief barrage of gunfire erupted nearly immediately.
The officers rushed into the room after the shooting, followed by emergency room staff, ABC News reported.
Jackson was pronounced dead at the hospital.
#breakingnews @ColumbusPolice have identified the man shot & killed during an officer involved shooting yesterday in St.Ann’s Hospital as Miles Jackson,27. Full details at 5/6 on @wsyx6 pic.twitter.com/3RoBUuOsjr
— STEVE LEVINE (@stevewsyx6) April 13, 2021
None of the officers or hospital staff were injured during the incident.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) later confirmed that Jackson “had a gun and shots were fired,” WCMH reported.
Protesters flocked to the hospital to denounce the officer-involved shooting within hours of Jackson’s death, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
They also gathered at the CPD headquarters on Tuesday night and proceeded to cut through the door locks with bolt cutters, WSYX reported.
Approximately 100 rioters stormed the building and clashed with officers inside the entryway area.
Multiple police cars and officers have emerged after protestors attempted to enter the Columbus Division of Police on West Long Street and Marconi Boulevard. pic.twitter.com/hJItFJkivD
— Owen Milnes (@owenmilnes) April 14, 2021
According to court documents, one rioter smashed a CPD sergeant in the face and chest with a wooden club as police were escorting him out of the police headquarters.
The assault left CPD Sergeant J. Coleman, the son of former Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, with a laceration on his lip, WSYX reported.
His attacker was later identified as 20-year-old Ohio State University student Hunter Mattin.
Mattin has since been arrested on a charge of aggravated burglary, according to court documents.
Mattin holding club, mug shot. pic.twitter.com/lt04NDGzWq
— Columbus Department of Public Safety (@ColumbusSafety) April 14, 2021
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther issued a statement on Tuesday expressing his shared “frustrations” over “police killings,” but urged protesters to abstain from violence, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
“We share the frustrations over police killings of unarmed black men, and we support nonviolent protests,” Ginther said. “That does not include breaking into public buildings or violence against officers. Let me be clear: Violence and destruction will not be tolerated.”
The two Westerville police officers who initially had contact with Jackson were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation, the department confirmed to WCMH on Wednesday.
“It is not customary to publicly report on personnel matters, but we are committed to transparency and fully understand the attention to this incident,” Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler said in a statement to WCMH. “I have viewed the body camera footage from the initial contact with Miles Jackson and have concerns that warrant further review.”
The CPD officers who dealt with Jackson at the hospital are both 15-year veterans of the department, WCMH reported.
Christopher Berg
Tom Gantert
Sandy Malone