Frederick Taylor, a 45-year-old African American man, was fatally shot on January 30, 2025, in the Hilltop neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. The shooting happened in the 600 block of Butler Avenue; officers arrived just after 10 a.m. and Columbus Division of Fire medics pronounced Taylor dead at the scene at 10:10 a.m. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Authorities quickly identified a suspect as Taylor’s son, 19-year-old Antiono Alvarez-Taylor. Court records show Alvarez-Taylor was taken into custody without incident and charged with murder. Columbus homicide detectives reported no other suspects were believed to be involved, and police have not released a motive.

Taylor was known for his work as a drug and alcohol counselor, for founding outreach programs for children of incarcerated parents, and for writing the bestselling How to Beat the System. He also held a Commercial Driver’s License and worked at Budweiser. He was the eldest of multiple siblings, a husband to Taryn Marie, and father to four children: Daria and Antonio Alvarez-Taylor, Eddris, and Marae Tabler.

Did anyone in the Hilltop area see or hear anything around Butler Avenue just after 10 a.m. on January 30?