Another Capitol city shooting: ''What is this city coming to?''

Ohio's ban on carrying a concealed firearm has once again failed to protect a victim, and once again failed to stop a criminal.

North Side man ‘critical’ after lunchtime shooting
October 02, 2003
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Lisa Adams and her 3-year-old son, Isaac, were eating yesterday afternoon at a North Side fast-food restaurant when gunshots cut through their lunchtime chatter.

"I heard 12 gunshots and everybody ran," Adams, 21, said.

She grabbed her son by his collar, scooped her infant daughter from a carrier and bolted for the door.

Employees ushered patrons outside.

The shooting, at 12:40 p.m. at the McDonald’s at Morse and Maize roads, left a 75-year-old man clinging to life and the gunman, who was wounded, running loose for hours.

Around 6 last night, Larry T. Scott, 59, of Denver, was arrested in connection with the shooting.

He had driven to a fire station just down the street from the restaurant and requested first aid for a hand injury.

Columbus police homicide detective Jim McCoskey said Scott was unaware that the fire station is connected to a police substation.

An officer saw Scott and his truck, which police had been searching for. Detectives were just finishing their work at McDonald’s, homicide Sgt. Ron Roberts said.

Scott was arrested on charges of felonious assault and aggravated robbery and taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital. He was in surgery last night.

It was the second shooting at a North Side fast-food restaurant in a month. The other took the life of an employee.

McCoskey said it appears that Scott shot himself in the hand as he struggled with Charles J. Mintun over the gun in the McDonald’s restroom.

Mintun was described by his wife, Dorothy, as a "feisty" war veteran.

It’s still unclear exactly what occurred, though police are speculating that Mintun was being robbed.

Scott had told McCoskey that he was "down on his luck."

"We don’t know what happened. Witnesses saw the suspect leave in a silver truck with Colorado tags," police spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull said.

The gunman left a blood trail outside the McDonald’s that went into the parking lot. A loaded gun was dropped inside the restaurant.

Mintun, of Karl Road, was in critical condition at Ohio State University Medical Center last night with two gunshot wounds in the chest.

"It’s pretty bad when you can’t take your kids out and be safe," Adams said.

Betty Leffingwell, a manager for Columbus’ Parks and Recreation Department, was finishing her meal when everyone in the restaurant started moving toward the door.

"The first shot sounded like someone had dropped something. After the second shot, it was pretty apparent what was going on," Leffingwell said.

She called 911 on her cell phone — and ran. As she did, another Mc-Donald’s patron, who had watched the gunman leave the restaurant, gave her the suspect’s license-plate number.

Leffingwell said she had stopped for lunch during a break in a training course on courage for city supervisors.

"I guess I needed courage today," she said. "I think I’d better call them and tell them I’m going to be late for the second half."

Janet Hayes, the owner of the McDonald’s, sent her employees home for the day and closed the restaurant.

One employee left in tears.

"It’s only her second day. I guess I didn’t make much of an impression on her," Hayes said. "What is this city coming to?"

One month ago, employees at a nearby Wendy’s witnessed a murder at the drivethrough window of the Karl Road restaurant.

Shift supervisor Scott E. Knouf, 27, was killed when a man at the window demanded money. Although Knouf was complying with the request, police said the gunman shot and killed him and wounded a fellow employee.

Leroy Johnson, 22, was arrested three weeks after the shooting and is charged with aggravated murder, felonious assault and robbery.

That Wendy’s is a mile from the McDonald’s.

Click here to read the story in the Columbus Dispatch (subscription site - paid access only).