A knife-wielding homeless man, reportedly “hearing voices,” was shot and killed outside the Republican National Convention on Tuesday. The incident involved a Columbus, Ohio police officer who was providing security for the GOP event.
Witnesses told The Post that the man was brandishing two steak knives and threatening police near the GOP headquarters, just two hours before the nation’s top Republican leaders were set to speak. The man, identified by some in the homeless community as “Sam” or “Jehovah,” was shot in the back while attempting to flee from security, with at least eight gunshots reported.
A man claiming to be the victim’s brother confirmed to The Post that the deceased was homeless, highlighting the presence of a large “tent city” in the area. Edward Watkins, a friend of the victim, described Sam as having a “crazy look in his eye” before approaching the police and mentioned that Sam had expressed a desire to die. Watkins also revealed that they had used crack cocaine together.
This shooting follows closely on the heels of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally on Saturday, resulting in heightened security measures at the RNC.
