Columbus is once again confronting one of its most painful and polarizing police shootings, as new reporting revisits the 2016 death of 13-year-old Tyre King. That night, officers chasing suspects in a reported robbery confronted several youths. King was shot during the encounter and later died at a hospital. The killing sparked street protests across the city, and no criminal charges were filed against the officer involved.
What happened in 2016
On Sept. 14, Columbus officers say they were responding to a report of an armed robbery when they encountered three males and began to pursue two who ran. As reported by The Columbus Dispatch, police say Tyre King ran into an alley and pulled what appeared to be a handgun from his waistband. Investigators later recovered a BB gun. The Washington Post noted that the replica had a laser sight and that the officer who fired, Bryan Mason, had been involved in another fatal shooting earlier in his career.
Protests, grand jury and lawsuits
The killing triggered demonstrations across Columbus and loud calls for an independent review. A Franklin County grand jury declined to bring criminal charges, and King's family filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit challenging how the city handled the case. In January 2023, a federal jury found the officer did not violate King's civil rights, as reported by The Associated Press.
Conflicting accounts and the officer's record
King's family disputed the official account, pointing to eyewitness statements and an independent autopsy that they say showed he was shot while running away. WOSU described neighbors' recollections of the alley behind 27–29 Hoffman Street where the shooting happened, and WOSU later covered the family's lawsuit alleging excessive force and serious flaws in the investigation. Local television reporting also noted that Officer Bryan Mason had been involved in an earlier fatal shooting and was placed in a non-patrol position after King's death, according to Cleveland 19.
Why it still matters
The Columbus Dispatch's revisit, published today, underscores how the case remains a flashpoint in debates over police use of force, replica weapons and independent oversight. National coverage of similar shootings has kept pressure on cities to rethink training and transparency, as outlined by TIME. Advocates say the legal outcomes have not quieted community demands for accountability and lasting policy change.
