Franklin County Grand Jury votes not to indict Whitehall police officers involved in fatal shooting

Posted on 12/12/2024

Defendant:

A Franklin County grand jury on Tuesday declined to return an indictment against the police officers involved in the shooting death earlier this year of Santiago A. Munoz, 36, of Columbus.

On April 19, Whitehall police officers responded to a report of gunshots in the area of 4632 East Main St. According to the investigation, the officers approached two men in a vehicle and, noticed a firearm on the floor of the back seat. The officers ordered the occupants to get out of the car. The driver complied. The passenger, later identified as Munoz, ignored the officers’ commands and reached toward the firearm. Both officers fired their weapons at Munoz, who was killed by a bullet to the head.

A grand jury only decides whether or not a crime has been committed and, in this case, whether any degree of unlawful criminal homicide occurred.