A quick stop for lunch meat turned into a nightmare for shopper Bill Vanover at the Kroger on West Broad Street in Galloway on July 11, when he says two teenagers suddenly jumped him in the middle of the store. Vanover told reporters he was kicked and punched, and said one of the teens warned, "I'm gonna take all your money" before another shopper stepped in and broke it up. He also said the store's security guard did not intervene. Vanover is still recovering from what he described as painful but non-life-threatening injuries.
According to ABC 6/FOX 28, Columbus police identified the suspects as two 14-year-olds, and court records show each now faces two felony robbery counts. The outlet reports that one teen has a prior 2025 assault charge, while the other had no previous Franklin County record. ABC 6/FOX 28 notes it is not publishing the teens' names because they are minors.
Where It Happened
The incident took place at the Kroger located at 5800 West Broad Street in Galloway. City property filings list that address and identify Kroger Co. as the property owner, according to Columbus city records.
Grocery-Store Violence Already In The Spotlight
This latest attack lands on top of a run of high-profile trouble at Kroger locations around the region earlier this year. In March, a man allegedly fired through the front door of a Maineville Kroger, wounding two shoppers, as reported by WLWT. In June, a fatal shooting that started as a fight outside a north-Columbus Kroger led to murder charges in an ongoing investigation covered by NBC4/WCMH.
What’s Next
Court records show the two 14-year-olds each face two felony robbery charges, in paperwork that local reporters say was filed in Franklin County. The suspects are being handled as juveniles, and media outlets are withholding their names while the cases move through juvenile court procedures, according to ABC 6/FOX 28.
Legal Notes
Ohio law treats most juvenile court records as confidential and sets out a process for sealing or expunging those records under ORC §2151.356. That means many details of juvenile cases, along with the identities of youths involved, are restricted from public disclosure unless a court orders otherwise. The statute and related provisions are available in the Ohio Revised Code.
