A West Side apartment unit that was the scene of a fatal shooting and which two law enforcement agencies identified as the center of a drug and prostitution ring has been emptied and boarded up.
Columbus police evacuated 641 Racine Ave. at Whitehead Road on Tuesday after Franklin County Environmental Court issued an emergency court order to clear and shutter the premises.
The apartment unit will remain closed at least until an April 19 court hearing.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein s office sought the temporary injunction following a fatal shooting and after separate undercover narcotics investigations by Columbus police and the Franklin County Sheriff’s office at the residence one of four apartment units in the building determined it was a drug trafficking operation.
A University District duplex has become the first property to be shut down by the city of Columbus in 2021 following a series of complaints there that include sexual assault, a loud party with underage drinking, and a stolen vehicle.
City Attorney Zach Klein announced Friday that the city had secured a temporary restraining order to board up 298 E. 17th Ave. as a nuisance property based on numerous police calls there since last October
“This emergency order may be the first of the year, but certainly won’t be the last, as we continue to use our legal authority to help protect neighborhoods against violence and crime,” Klein said in a release. “This property was clearly a danger to the surrounding area and we’re grateful the court agreed with us.”