On February 12, 2023, at about 5:54 a.m., Columbus police responded to a shooting in the 5000 block of Red Bird Court on the city’s East Side. Officers found 30-year-old Nathaniel Spears lying unresponsive in a grassy area in front of an apartment complex; he was taken to Mount Carmel East and pronounced dead at 6:22 a.m.

Detectives say Spears and the shooter were involved in an altercation that led to the shooting. Police identified the other person as a suspect and reported that the shooter claimed to have acted in self-defense. No arrests had been announced and investigators planned to forward their completed probe to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, which would decide whether to present the case to a grand jury. The case has attracted attention because of a 2021 Ohio law expanding where people may stand their ground, and detectives are evaluating the validity of the self-defense claim.

If anyone knew Nathaniel Spears or saw activity in the Red Bird Court area that morning, please share what was observed with investigators.