Dresan Armstrong

Dresan Armstrong, a 20-year-old Black man, is remembered by his loved ones more than a decade after his life was cut short. He was a student at Marion Franklin High School in Columbus, Ohio. His family connection remained strong even after his death; he was lovingly remembered as the grandson of Elouise Elizabeth Armstrong in her 2026 obituary. Known to some as "Dre" or "Dre Baby," his loss left a permanent void in the lives of those who knew him.

On the evening of Tuesday, March 25, 2014, violence erupted on the South Side of Columbus. At approximately 9:00 p.m., Columbus Police Division patrol officers were dispatched to a residence at 584 Bulen Avenue following reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they discovered Dresan Armstrong outside the home, suffering from a serious gunshot wound. Paramedics rushed him to Grant Medical Center in critical, life-threatening condition. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Dresan was pronounced dead at 9:56 p.m. A short distance away from the initial scene, officers located a second male victim, who was 17 years old, also with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in stable condition and survived his injuries.

The investigation into Dresan's killing began immediately, handled by the Columbus Police Division. Detectives processed the scene on Bulen Avenue, a residential street in the city's Driving Park neighborhood, but the motive behind the shooting remained elusive. Investigators have not publicly identified any suspects or persons of interest in the years since the attack, which was described in one report as a drive-by shooting. The case grew cold, leaving Dresan's family without answers and his killer or killers at large. His death marked the 19th homicide in Columbus for that year.

With no arrests made, the case has remained open and unsolved for over a decade. In an effort to generate new leads, law enforcement has periodically brought the case back into the public eye. In September 2025, more than eleven years after the fatal shooting, the Columbus Police Division and Central Ohio Crime Stoppers issued a renewed appeal for information from the community. They highlighted Dresan's case as their "Crime of the Week," hoping that the passage of time might encourage someone with knowledge of the crime to finally come forward.

To incentivize potential witnesses, Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information that leads to the arrest and/or indictment of the person or persons responsible for Dresan Armstrong’s murder. The organization emphasizes that all tips can be submitted anonymously, ensuring the protection of the caller's identity. They do not use Caller ID or record phone calls, and a special coding system is used to maintain confidentiality.

As of September 2025, the investigation into Dresan Armstrong's homicide is ongoing, but authorities still need the public's help to solve the case and bring a measure of justice to his family. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted online at www.stopcrime.org or through the free P3 Tips mobile application available for iOS and Android devices.