On June 26, 2023, at about 6:05 p.m., Columbus police responding to a ShotSpotter alert found 31-year-old James Cunningham dead behind a residence in the 1600 block of East 26th Avenue from a gunshot wound. A second man, 32, was critically injured and taken to Grant Medical Center; reports say he is expected to recover. Investigators tied the shooting to a disturbance among those involved. Through interviews, 31-year-old Thomas Hampton was identified as the person responsible; he was arrested and charged with murder and felonious assault and booked into the Franklin County Jail. Cunningham’s death is described as a significant loss for his family and the Columbus community. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).

Does anyone on the forum have information about Cunningham, the disturbance that preceded the shooting, or witnessed the events that evening?