Hilltop Suicide – A 16-year-old girl, Carlie Felix, fatally shot self in the Hilltop neighborhood of Columbus on Wednesday night.
The incident occurred in the 500 block of South Eureka Avenue, with the Columbus Division of Police responding to a call around 10:34 p.m. According to initial reports, the caller claimed that the teenage girl accidentally shot herself in the abdomen.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting are still unclear, and as police investigate further, many questions remain unanswered. The call for help came through a 911 emergency line, with the caller stating that Felix had accidentally discharged the firearm, resulting in the fatal injury.
Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert confirmed that when officers arrived at the scene, they found a gun nearby. However, they have yet to determine whether the caller’s account accurately reflects what transpired.
Felix was transported to Grant Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma facility, renowned for handling critical injuries. Despite the medical team’s efforts to save her life, Felix succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at 11:10 p.m., less than an hour after the shooting occurred. The news has left her family and friends devastated, and the wider Columbus community in shock.
While authorities have not released the name of the 911 caller or any further details on the investigation, detectives from the Homicide Unit have taken over the case. Their focus is now on verifying whether the shooting was indeed accidental, as claimed, or if there was more to the story.
Accidental firearm discharges are not uncommon, particularly among untrained individuals handling guns without proper knowledge or experience. According to the National Safety Council, accidental gun-related deaths remain a pressing concern, with improper firearm storage and lack of education contributing to these avoidable tragedies.