A gang member was shot numerous times and killed Wednesday evening in his front yard while his children were inside his Near East Side home.
"My grandkids are there by themselves with their dad who just got shot. Please, please get there," a frantic woman told 911 dispatchers.
The death of 29-year-old Chasjuan Meeks marks the seventh homicide so far in 2018 in Columbus.
Meeks was a documented Deuce Deuce Bloods member, according to court records. As of February 2012, he had seven children, records show. It's unclear how many were with him at his home on the 2100 block of Willamont Avenue at the corner of Sunbury Road when gunfire erupted, shattering a front window and leaving numerous shell casings in the street on Willamont.
Columbus police were called to the home at about 6:20 p.m. Wednesday after residents called 911, reporting that they heard close to a dozen gunshots. Callers reported the gunshots possibly came from a white SUV or truck.
"He's shot bad. They shot a lot of times," another caller told 911 police dispatchers.
Meeks' cousin, Brandon Meeks, who was also a Deuce Deuce Blood member, was shot and killed Dec. 11 at a home on the city's South Side. Two days later, during a memorial vigil at the same location, fellow gang member Chaz Robertson was killed and three other people, including a 9-year-old girl, were injured when a drive-by shooter opened fire on vigil attendees.
Columbus police arrested Darnell Vinson in connection to the death of Brandon Meeks. No one has been arrested in Robertson's case.
Nearly six years ago, Chasjuan Meeks, then 23, took a federal plea deal for buying nearly 22 grams of cocaine for $400. He told officials he planned to sell the crack cocaine to support his children, according to court records. He was one of 40 people federally indicted in a gun-and-drug roundup centered around the Mt. Vernon Avenue area. After a four-year investigation, Meeks was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2012.
His attorney told the court at the time, "He plans to use his time in prison to better himself, to be involved in his children's lives, and to demonstrate his potential to become a conscientious member of society," a sentencing memorandum notes.
Meeks told the court that he needed to go into a drug treatment center after he was prescribed painkillers. In April 2010, he was struck by a car, resulting in a fractured elbow, arm and pelvis. He also suffered severe head trauma that landed him in the intensive-care unit at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center for an extended period of time.
Meeks was prescribed the painkiller hydrocodone but when he could not afford it, he turned to oxycodone, which he purchased from dealers.
"He does not offer it as a justification. Rather, Mr. Meeks simply desires the Court to fully understand his background, his challenges and his desire to be free of drug dependency," according to the memo.
Meeks was released from prison in July 2013 and court records show that he continued to struggle. In September, Meeks was sentenced to one year on community control for cocaine possession.
As of Thursday morning, police did not have any suspects identified in connection with Meeks' death.
Anyone with information is asked to call Columbus police at 614-645-4730 or remain anonymous by calling Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-645-TIPS.
bburger@dispatch.com
@ByBethBurger