Ceilin Ricard Peaks Smith was a 36-year-old Black man and father of two who worked as a security guard at the Aura nightclub in downtown Columbus. Friends called him 2 smitty and remembered him as warm, friendly and always smiling.

Shortly after 1:45 a.m. on June 14, 2024, an argument outside the club escalated into gunfire. Four people were shot; Ceilin and fellow security guard 27-year-old Desmond Taylor were fatally wounded. Ceilin was taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Two other victims were injured and expected to survive.

An arrest warrant was issued on June 24, 2024, charging 26-year-old Jaquez Hoover with two counts of murder in the deaths of Ceilin and Desmond Taylor. The Columbus City Attorney cited the shooting as part of the club’s long history of violence and sought to permanently close the establishment.

If anyone knew Ceilin or was at Aura that night, does any detail about the argument or the shots fired stand out?