‘Doesn’t fly.’ Columbus murder suspect still faces charge, but cop says he didn’t shoot

A man charged with murder in a downtown Columbus shooting didn’t fire the shots that left one person dead, a police officer testified Wednesday, but he still faces the offense after a Recorder’s Court hearing.

The shooting took place in a parking garage in the 1000 block of Broadway shortly after midnight Sunday, and ended with the death of 21-year-old Quentin Scott Jr.

Brandon Day Jr., who appeared in court Wednesday, was arrested and charged with Scott’s death, according to police.

Cpl. Bobby Jackson with the Columbus Police Department testified that a verbal altercation preceded the shooting in the breezeway of the parking garage.

In addition to Scott’s death, two people were injured in the shooting. One of the victims of the shooting identified Day as the shooter, according to Jackson’s testimony Wednesday. But other evidence showed Day didn’t shoot.

Evidence showed that Day started the argument and pulled out a weapon, but didn’t aim or fire the weapon after the verbal altercation, Jackson testified. Jackson said Day and one of the victims were arguing, and the victim was out of jail on bond after allegedly shooting Day’s sister.

Day was disarmed by someone who was there with Scott, and a video of the incident showed the gun fell to the ground, according to Jackson.

Jackson said at that point, someone else pulled a weapon and shot at Scott’s group.

Day turned himself in to police, Jackson said. He told police he thought someone in the altercation was clutching a weapon in their waistband, so he pulled his gun to show he was armed, according to Jackson’s testimony.

Day, a member of the military, legally possessed the gun, according to Jackson’s testimony.

Judge David Ranieri ordered a break in the hearing to get clarification on the murder charge. During that time, Day’s attorney, Mark Shelnutt, spoke privately with prosecutors about the charge. Despite the testimony to suggest that Day didn’t shoot, Ranieri found probable cause to send the case to superior court.

In his closing statements at Wednesday’s hearing, Shelnutt said the charge “doesn’t fly” based on Wednesday’s testimony.