Columbus talk-show host working as guard shoots two

The NBC4 Columbus is reporting that Columbus radio talk-show host Cornell McCleary shot two men, seriously injuring one of them, last night while working as a security guard at an East Side apartment complex.

According to the report, police questioned McCleary, 51, then released him without filing charges.

From the story:

The shooting happened at about 6 p.m. at an apartment complex on
Vineshire Drive on the city's east side.

The guard said the men were causing problems, refused to leave and then
became violent, and that he acted in self-defense, Garcia reported.

Police said the incident started as an exchange of words but quickly
turned into a gunfight.

A woman said her nephew had just returned home from work when he
allegedly was approached by a group of young men. She said he was
approached because he was wearing a red shirt.

"It's a damn shame that you can't wear what you want to wear," she said.
"The guy approached my nephew thinking he was in a gang."

That's when police said a security officer at the apartment complex got
involved. Columbus Police Detective Jim Day said the guard told the
group of men to leave, but they didn't.

Day said the guard was punched in the face. That's when the guard said
he pulled his gun and shot the two men he said were attacking him.

According to the story, both men were hospitalized in stable condition.

The Columbus Dispatch's coverage of this story, reporter Matthew Marx reports that McCleary, who hosts a talk show Sunday nights on WTVN (610 AM), "has a weapons permit" and is a licensed armed guard.

It is unclear whether Marx was trying to say that McCleary is a concealed handgun license-holder when referring to a "weapons permit," but several OFCC supporters have advised us that McCleary has identified himself as a CHL-holder several times on his radio show.

OFCC will continue to follow this story.