Maliek Venson, 21, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of July 23, 2026, in the South Linden neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. Police were called to the 2300 block of Hamilton Avenue about 3:30 a.m. after reports of shots fired; Venson was found unresponsive in an alley with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:43 a.m.

Court documents say the shooting followed an altercation: Venson was walking in an alley when he became involved in a dispute with another man that escalated and ended in a fatal gunshot. Authorities have identified a suspect and an arrest warrant was issued for Danyo Sellers. The Columbus Police Homicide Unit is asking anyone with information about the incident or Sellers’ whereabouts to contact them.

A young life was lost in a brief, violent encounter. Does anyone have information about that stretch of Hamilton Avenue or the events leading up to the shooting?