Police Impersonations Welcome & Wretched

NBC 4: A man fatally shot an armed intruder while protecting his 5-year-old relative late Wednesday, authorities said. CPD said the incident started with a home invasion but it was the suspect who was fatally shot. CPD was called to a home on the 1500 block of Autumn Village Drive on reports of a shooting at about 11 p.m. Wednesday. Officers found a man on a front porch with a gunshot wound to his neck. The armed suspect broke into home shortly before he was fatally shot, CPD said. As the armed suspect entered the home, a man picked up his 5-year-old relative to protect child as well as a firearm and fired shots, according to authorities. The suspect attempted to flee the home after being wounded but collapsed on the porch. He died a short time later. Anyone with additional information on the city’s 49th homicide of 2009 was asked to call the CPD homicide squad at 614-645-4730.

NBC 4: Columbus police are investigating two incidents where suspects have impersonated police officers. According to police, the first incident involved a business on the city’s east side. An employee said she received a phone call from a man who identified himself as a police officer. The suspect allegedly said he would be in the neighborhood to collect money in an effort to patrol the area due to recent burglaries involving area business. The suspect appeared at the business and asked for a large amount of money, but when the employee informed him she did not have that much, he negotiated a price, left a receipt and Fraternal Order of Police sticker. The suspect left the scene in a light gray or olive green sport utility vehicle, which was driven by another unidentified man. About one month later, another incident involved an elderly man who was watering his lawn. He was approached by a male and female suspect, police said. The suspects held up badges as they approached the victim, showed him a picture of a man in a wanted poster, and coerced the victim into allowing them in his house. The victim became suspicious after a few minutes and stated he was calling 911. The suspects left the home, but not before taking cash and jewelry. In both incidents the suspects were well dressed. The male suspect was described as a black male, 30 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 160 to 170 pounds. He was clean cut with a mustache and was wearing a gray suit and cream-colored tie. The female suspect was described as a black female, 35 years old, 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 165 pounds. The second male suspect was described as black male, 50 years old, weighing 210 pounds with gray or partially gray hair described as being processed with waves.