Cop Shot, Two Nabbed in Ohio Bank Heist

Columbus, OH – A brazen bank robbery turned into a firefight on July 6th, leaving one Columbus police officer wounded and one suspect dead. Federal prosecutors have now charged two Central Ohio men in connection with the incident, alleging they aided and abetted the violent crime.

Aden Abdullahi Jama, 20, was intercepted at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport attempting to flee the country on a flight to Turkey. U.S. Marshals and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents took him into custody. Simultaneously, Fazsal M. Darod, 23, was apprehended outside his Columbus residence by the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team. Both men face stiff federal charges.

The feds allege the pair were instrumental in a robbery at the Fifth Third Bank on Hilliard Rome Road in Hilliard, Ohio. According to court documents, Jama and Darod are accused of stealing a black Porsche SUV from Byer Imports Car Lot on North Hamilton Road, using it as the getaway vehicle. The robbery itself netted an undisclosed amount of cash, but quickly escalated into a high-speed pursuit.

Minutes after the bank was hit, Columbus police spotted the stolen Porsche on Interstate 70 East near West Mound Street. A confrontation ensued, and gunfire erupted. One officer sustained a gunshot wound, and another suspect – not yet publicly identified – was killed at the scene. The wounded officer is reportedly in stable condition, but the incident underscores the ever-present danger faced by law enforcement.

Both Jama and Darod are charged with aiding and abetting a bank robbery, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years behind bars. They also face charges of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, which carries a significantly steeper penalty – a minimum of five years and potentially life in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah R. Litton is prosecuting the case.

While the investigation remains ongoing, federal prosecutors are building a case that links Jama and Darod directly to the planning and execution of the robbery and subsequent shootout. Both men have been advised of their rights and presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and Special Agent in Charge Daryl S. McCormick of the FBI’s Cincinnati field office have confirmed their agencies are fully cooperating with the federal investigation.

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