Police are investigating an early Friday morning death in East Columbus that is being investigated as a homicide.
Officers responded just before 6 a.m. to a reported automobile accident on Shannon Avenue near Lehmberg Road. When first responders arrived, they found the overturned vehicle’s driver trapped, a police department press release said.
Police removed the man, whom Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant has identified as Willie D. Jennings, 55, from the vehicle and discovered he had suffered an injury.
Jennings was unable to tell police what had happened, and he died shortly after arriving to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.
The police department press release issued Friday afternoon indicated officers believed Jennings had been shot. Merchant, however, said Friday evening it wasn’t clear whether the victim’s injury was a gunshot wound.
Police are seeking leads on a suspect, and Merchant said an autopsy has been ordered.
“We are working to determine the order of the events of the morning,” Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton said in the press release. “We are using our cameras in the area and have requested Ring for area doorbell cameras. Ring customers have to individually approve if any video is released to us for the investigation.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 800-530-7151 or use the free P3 smartphone app.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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