The family of Ricky Javonta Ball, the 26-year-old man shot and killed by Columbus police officers Friday, say they will remember him as a kind soul and a dedicated parent.
James Culp, the husband of Ball’s mother Angela Culp, said the family has been in shock and mourning since learning of Ball’s death.
Ball was shot and killed by a CPD officer Friday about 10 p.m. on the north side of Columbus. He was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic stop. Authorities say he ran from police after the stop was initiated. Authorities, citing an ongoing investigation, have been mum on the circumstances surrounding what led to the shooting.
Ball leaves behind a daughter, 4-year-old Makayla Hendricks.
“Rick is a person that is laid back, quiet,” Culp said. “He did his own thing. He loved his daughter more so than anything.”
Culp said Ball had been living and working in Memphis, but had returned to Columbus around a month ago to spend more time with his daughter.
“That’s his only child,” Culp said. “He just loved his daughter, to the point where he spent a lot of time with her, day-in and day-out.”
Ball had been living at Orlando Apartments on 11th Street South since he returned, according to his stepfather.
At a city press conference Monday, Mayor Robert Smith gave Ball’s last official address as 2604 Sixth Avenue North. The Dispatch visited the residence Monday. It has been unoccupied for more than a year, according to a notice on the door.
Ball graduated from Caledonia High School in 2007. He had been working at a Memphis restaurant for the past year, Culp said. He said Ball was trying to re-enroll at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis to study engineering.
“He had more goals, still, he had more goals than any young man his age,” Culp said.
Culp said Ball had been planning on heading back to Memphis to enroll two weeks ago, but had changed his mind and stayed in Columbus.
“A week later, now we’re burying him,” Culp said.
Culp said the family has not received many answers or information regarding the incident from the Columbus Police Department.
“They haven’t called yet,” Culp said of authorities. “They’re just doing the autopsy on his body as of now.”
Culp said the family was told by authorities that they could not view Ball’s body because that could potentially contaminate evidence.
Culp said Ball had received a couple misdemeanor tickets in his life, but had never been in serious legal trouble. Messages left with the state Department of Corrections were not returned by press time.
When the family received the news early Saturday, Culp described a surreal scene.
Culp said he was at work when he received a call about Ball’s death.
“I was up on a ladder and I got a call from my wife and she was screaming ‘They took my son. They took my son,'” Culp said. “I get down here, and you see a whole lot of sadness. People forming together and talking to one another, you know the family is trying to comfort each other. It’s tragic, not just for the family but the community as a whole.”
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