Columbus Woman, 60, Punched and Carjacked at Gas Pump, Police Hunt Two Armed Suspects

A 60-year-old woman pumping gas in Columbus was punched, thrown to the ground and held at gunpoint before two men sped off in her stolen gray Chevrolet Malibu. The attack happened around 6:35 a.m. on August 15, and Columbus police are still searching for the pair responsible.

According to FOX28, one suspect brandished a black handgun and pointed it directly at the woman while the other suspect also pointed a handgun at her, according to Columbus police. The outlet reports the woman was punched and thrown to the ground during the struggle before both men fled the scene in her vehicle. Authorities described the suspects as two Black males wearing all-black clothing, and one is said to have neck-length dreadlocks.

Police Appeal for Public's Help

Columbus police have asked the public's help identifying the two suspects, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Columbus Police Robbery Unit at 614-645-4881. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can also reach Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477), a confidential program that offers cash rewards for tips leading to arrests or felony indictments, according to a prior Hoodline report on the Robbery Unit's process.

The early-morning timing of the attack fits a broader pattern seen at Columbus gas stations. A CrimeTracker 10 analysis of Columbus Division of Police data found that more than 60 percent of gas station robberies in the city occur between midnight and 6 a.m., a window when convenience and quick highway access make pumps an easier target, as reported by WBNS-TV.

A Pattern of Violence at Central Ohio Pumps

This is not the first time a Columbus gas station has turned into the scene of a violent carjacking. In June 2021, two suspects dragged a female passenger from a vehicle at an Uncle Max gas station on Hudson Street and ran her over, leaving her in critical condition before fleeing, WBNS-TV reported at the time. And in April 2026, a fake gun-sale meeting at a Columbus Speedway gas station spiraled into gunfire and an interstate police chase, resulting in felony armed robbery charges, as Hoodline detailed in its report on the Speedway shooting and chase.

Under Ohio Revised Code § 2911.01, aggravated robbery involving a deadly weapon or physical harm inflicted during a theft is a first-degree felony, carrying a potential prison term of 3 to 11 years and fines up to $20,000, according to Watson Kuhlman, LLC. If the two suspects are eventually identified and charged, that statute would likely govern the case given the reported use of a firearm and the physical assault on the victim.

Vehicle Theft Remains a Stubborn Problem

The carjacking arrives even as broader violent crime trends in Columbus have moved in a more encouraging direction. Columbus recorded 71 homicides in 2025, down from 93 the year before and the city's lowest annual total since 2012, according to Columbus Division of Police data reported by AdensZip. Nationally, a mid-2025 study of 42 American cities by the Council on Criminal Justice found carjackings fell 24 percent and overall motor vehicle thefts dropped 25 percent in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier.

But vehicle theft specifically has remained a persistent challenge in central Ohio. In May, Franklin County prosecutors indicted 10 teenagers on nearly 300 felony counts tied to a vehicle theft ring accused of widespread auto thefts and car break-ins across the region since 2024, WBNS-TV reported, with police noting juveniles accounted for a disproportionate share of local auto crimes. Just weeks ago, on August 2, a Columbus man was arrested after an attempted carjacking on State Route 161 triggered an interstate police pursuit involving the Madison County Sheriff's Office, in a case where the suspect allegedly assaulted a victim before fleeing in the stolen vehicle.

No arrests have been announced in the August 15 gas pump attack, and the identities of both suspects remain unknown. Columbus police continue to rely on tips from the public as the investigation moves forward.