Former Columbus Officer Ricky Anderson Faces Sentencing in Fatal Shooting of Donovan Lewis
The former Columbus police officer faces up to three years in prison after entering an Alford plea to reckless homicide in the 2022 shooting.
Former Columbus police officer Ricky Anderson is set to learn his fate Wednesday in the 2022 shooting death of Donovan Lewis. Anderson was a K-9 officer with the Columbus Police Department when he killed Lewis, 20, in August 2022.
In September, Anderson entered an Alford plea, acknowledging prosecutors had enough evidence to support a conviction without admitting guilt. Anderson previously pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in the 2022 shooting death of Lewis. In exchange for the plea to the lesser charge, the state agreed to drop a murder charge, according to the county prosecuting attorney.
His sentence could range from probation to three years in prison, defense attorney Mark Collins said. Third-degree felony offenses in Ohio also carry statutory fines of up to $15,000.
Former Columbus police officer Ricky Anderson stands between defense attorneys Mark Collins and Kaitlyn Stephens during a court appearance in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
Credit: WOSU Public Media Image source
Hilltop shooting and body camera video
Police said officers went to Lewis’ apartment around 2 a.m. to serve arrest warrants, including for domestic violence, assault and felony improper handling of a firearm.
Officers served the warrants on the second floor of an apartment complex in the Hilltop area. Body-camera video showed officers inside the apartment on Sullivant Avenue, including an officer opening a bedroom door moments before shooting a man moving in bed.
According to department records, body camera video shows Anderson opening a bedroom door and then shooting Lewis, who was unarmed. An attorney for Lewis’ family said footage appears to show Anderson firing within a second of opening the bedroom door where Lewis was sleeping.
Anderson’s attorneys have said evidence at trial would have shown that he was justified in using deadly force. Lewis was unarmed in bed when Anderson fired.
Indictment, plea and civic impact
Anderson was indicted on murder and reckless homicide charges in the killing of Lewis. Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack appointed special prosecutors to the case.
Anderson was found to be out of policy nine times during his department career.
Following the shooting of Lewis, the Columbus police chief instituted a policy change that restricts execution of overnight warrants.
In May 2024, the City of Columbus reached a $7 million settlement with Lewis’ family to resolve wrongful death claims. The family also maintained a pending civil suit against the former officer.
The shooting took place amid heightened scrutiny of policing across the city. The U.S. Justice Department agreed in 2021 to review Columbus Police Department practices after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people, including the April 2021 killing of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, and the city’s response to racial injustice protests in 2020.
An attorney for Lewis’ family said the officer’s plea was not enough, saying after the plea: “We acknowledge a police officer finally admitting he recklessly killed a young man. But nothing that happens to him will bring Donovan back. He lives his life while Donovan’s family will suffer his loss for the rest of theirs. Is this truly justice?” Rex H. Elliott said.
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How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Supporting evidence (3)
Former Columbus police officer Ricky Anderson is set to learn his fate Wednesday in the 2022 shooting death of Donovan Lewis.
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Former Columbus Police officer Ricky Anderson is set to learn his fate Wednesday, following his guilty plea earlier this year to reckless homicide in the 2022 shooting death of Donovan Lewis.
Anderson previously pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in the 2022 shooting death of Lewis.
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guilty plea earlier this year to reckless homicide in the 2022 shooting death of Donovan Lewis.
According to department records, body camera video shows Anderson opening a bedroom door and then shooting Lewis, who was unarmed.
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Body camera video shows Anderson opening a bedroom door and then shooting Lewis, who was unarmed.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/04/us/columbus-officer-pleads-reckless-homicide
Supporting evidence (10)
Anderson was a K-9 officer with the Columbus Police Department when he killed Lewis, 20, in August 2022.
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Anderson was a K-9 officer with the Columbus Police Department when he killed Donovan Lewis, 20, in August 2022.
In September, Anderson entered an Alford plea, acknowledging prosecutors had enough evidence to support a conviction without admitting guilt.
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Ricky Anderson entered what is known as an Alford plea, acknowledging that prosecutors had enough evidence to support a conviction without admitting guilt.
In exchange for the plea to the lesser charge, the state agreed to drop a murder charge, according to the county prosecuting attorney.
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In exchange, the state agreed to drop a murder charge, according to the Franklin County prosecuting attorney.
His sentence could range from probation to three years in prison, defense attorney Mark Collins said.
Police said officers went to Lewis’ apartment around 2 a.m. to serve arrest warrants, including for domestic violence, assault and felony improper handling of a firearm.
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Police have said officers went to Lewis’ apartment around 2 a.m. that morning to arrest him on multiple warrants, including for domestic violence, assault and felony improper handling of a firearm.
An attorney for Lewis’ family said footage appears to show Anderson firing within a second of opening the bedroom door where Lewis was sleeping.
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An attorney for Lewis’ family has said body-camera footage appears to show Anderson firing within a second of opening the bedroom door where Lewis was sleeping.
Anderson’s attorneys have said evidence at trial would have shown that he was justified in using deadly force.
The family also maintained a pending civil suit against the former officer.
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The family has a pending civil suit against the former officer.
The U.S. Justice Department agreed in 2021 to review Columbus Police Department practices after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people, including the April 2021 killing of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, and the city’s response to racial injustice protests in 2020.
Read supporting passage
The U.S. Justice Department agreed in 2021 to review Columbus Police Department practices after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people — including the April 2021 killing of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant — and the city’s response to racial injustice protests in 2020.
An attorney for Lewis’ family said the officer’s plea was not enough, saying after the plea: “We acknowledge a police officer finally admitting he recklessly killed a young man.
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An attorney for Lewis’ family said the officer’s plea was not enough. “We acknowledge a police officer finally admitting he recklessly killed a young man. But nothing that happens to him will bring Donovan back. He lives his life while Donovan’s family will suffer his loss for the rest of theirs. Is this truly justice?” Rex H. Elliott said.
Supporting evidence (6)
Officers served the warrants on the second floor of an apartment complex in the Hilltop area.
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A police spokesman said at the time that Anderson and several other uniformed officers were serving a felony warrant for domestic violence, assault, and weapons-related incidents on the second floor of an apartment complex in the Hilltop area.
Body-camera video showed officers inside the apartment on Sullivant Avenue, including an officer opening a bedroom door moments before shooting a man moving in bed.
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Body-camera video showed officers inside the apartment on Sullivant Avenue, including one opening a bedroom door and a moment later, a man moving in his bed before an officer shot him.
Anderson was indicted on murder and reckless homicide charges in the killing of Lewis.
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A former Columbus police officer has been indicted on murder and reckless homicide charges, ABC 6 has learned.Ricky Anderson isaccused of killing 20-year-old Donovan Lewis on Aug. 30, 2022.
Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack appointed special prosecutors to the case.
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Franklin County Prosecutor (Gary) Tyack appointed special prosecutors to this case
Anderson was found to be out of policy nine times during his department career.
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He was found to be out of policy nine times:
Following the shooting of Lewis, the Columbus police chief instituted a policy change that restricts execution of overnight warrants.
Read supporting passage
Columbus police chief changes policy, restricts execution of overnight warrants