Grand Jury Does Not Indict Police Officer Who Fatally Shot Robbery Suspect

Posted on 8/25/2022

Defendant:

A Franklin County grand jury voted not to indict Columbus police officer Jeffrey Miller in the 2020 shooting death of robbery suspect Joshua J. Brown, 35, of Columbus. The grand jury’s verdict was filed on Monday, Aug. 22.

On Jan. 25, 2020, Columbus police were dispatched to the Bob Evans restaurant at 1445 Olentangy River Road on a report of an armed robbery in progress. The robbery suspect, who reportedly was holding the manager at gunpoint, fled before officers arrived when he was confronted by a customer brandishing a fire extinguisher.

Responding officer Jeffrey Miller and his partner saw the suspect, later identified as Joshua J. Brown, flee the rear of the restaurant and run to the adjacent parking lot of the hotel next door. Officer Miller’s partner pursued the suspect on foot while Officer Miller remained in the vehicle. Officer Miller encountered Brown running toward him and told him to show his hands. Brown continued running toward Officer Miller, raising his hand with what appeared to Officer Miller to be a firearm. Officer Miller discharged his firearm twice, striking Brown once.

Brown was taken into custody and transported by paramedics to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where he later died of his injuries. No officers were injured.

A black glove was recovered next to Brown. Police found the gun Brown had used in the restaurant robbery behind a fence where security video footage from the hotel shows Brown dropping it just seconds before encountering Officer Miller.

A grand jury only decides whether or not a crime has been committed. In this case, the grand jury also looked at whether any degree of unlawful criminal homicide occurred.