Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Multiple Drive-by Shootings

Published on September 09, 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Kaden Ratcliff will serve 25 to 26 years in prison after pleading guilty in five felony cases involving three drive-by shootings, a robbery, and the possession of multiple machine gun conversion devices and automatic firearms.

Case Background

On September 17, 2025, Ratcliff and others participated in a drive-by shooting at a residence on South Third Street. The home was struck multiple times by gunfire while three people were inside. Approximately 30 shell casings from four different firearms were recovered following the shooting. No one inside the home was injured.

Five days later, on September 22, 2025, Ratcliff was involved in another drive-by shooting at a home on East Blake Avenue. The shooters targeted the wrong residence while looking for someone else. A 13-year-old boy who was getting ready for school was shot in the leg and groin and rushed to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for emergency surgery. His mother was also shot in the arm as she attempted to render aid to him. Two other people were inside the residence but were not struck. Twenty-eight spent shell casings were recovered, and at least one fully automatic firearm was used during the shooting.

Ratcliff's remaining cases involved another drive-by shooting, a robbery, and the possession of multiple automatic firearms and Glock switches—devices designed to convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic weapons. Several of the incidents involved multiple defendants, whose cases remain pending.

Ratcliff was sentenced to 25 to 26 years in prison as part of his plea agreement.

The cases were investigated in close coordination with the Columbus Division of Police Non-Fatal Shooting Team. The Franklin County Prosecutor's Office thanks the detectives assigned to the team for their extensive work across these investigations and their continued partnership with our office.

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