GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in Muscogee County

Columbus, GA (May 29, 2022) – The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Columbus, GA. The Columbus Police Department requested the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on Sunday, May 29, 2022. One man was shot. No officers were injured.

Preliminary information indicates that at 1:36 a.m., a Columbus Police Department officer heard multiple gunshots being fired in the area he was working near Wilson Street.  The officer began to drive in the direction of where he heard those gunshots. While on the way to the location, officers were dispatched to Urban Avenue in reference to numerous 911 calls being made by citizens stating shots were being fired.  The initial responding officer arrived on scene.  Once on Urban Avenue, the initial responding officer had to park and get out of his car because the roadway was blocked by numerous cars and pedestrians.  The officer began walking down the street asking individuals if anyone had been shot and who was shooting.  Multiple people stated their vehicles had been shot, but no names or descriptions were mentioned to the officer. Motions were made towards a black BMW sedan. 

The officer approached the BMW which was moving slowly down the road with its windows down trying to get around parked and slowly moving vehicles.  The officer began walking next to the passenger side of the BMW instructing the driver, later identified as Janathaen Strum, age 24, of Columbus, GA, to stop and get out of the car.   While driving, Strum reached his hand down between the driver’s seat and the center console area of the car.  With the car still in motion, the officer moved from the passenger side of the car and around the rear of the car to the driver’s side while continuing to give verbal commands for Strum to stop and get out of the car.  A short time later, Strum raised his hands up to the driver’s window at which time the officer fired one round, hitting Strum.  Strum continued driving and wrecked into a vehicle down the street.  Strum got out of the passenger side of the car and ran a short distance before being detained by the officer.  A large crowd gathered around the officer and Strum until additional officers and EMS arrived.      

Strum was taken by EMS to Columbus Regional Midtown Hospital in Columbus, GA and is being treated. He is in stable condition.  It was later learned a woman had been shot prior to officers responding and had been taken by friends to Columbus Regional Midtown Hospital for treatment.  

The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Once the investigation is completed, the case file will be given to the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s office for review. 

Anyone with information about this investigation may contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 2 Field Office in Columbus at (706) 565-7888. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 1(800) 597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.