One person was rushed to the hospital in critical condition Thursday afternoon after a stabbing outside the Columbus Metropolitan Library Northside Branch on North High Street. Columbus Division of Police officers responded to a report of a stabbing just before 2:40 p.m. at the library, located at 1423 N. High St., and the individual was taken to Wexner Medical Center. No suspect details had been released as of Thursday evening, and the circumstances leading to the stabbing remain unclear.
According to 10TV, the stabbing occurred just outside the library branch, but police had not said whether the altercation started inside the building or on the surrounding grounds. The outlet, citing the developing nature of the investigation, reported that no suspect had been identified or arrested by the time of publication. The victim’s condition and identity have not been publicly disclosed beyond the critical designation given by responding officers.
The victim was taken to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Emergency Department, which operates one of only two adult Level 1 Trauma Centers in central Ohio and has held that verification from the American College of Surgeons since 1987, according to Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The trauma center sits less than a mile from the library, putting the victim within close reach of specialized emergency surgical care.
A Library Branch at a Busy Crossroads
The Northside Branch sits at a heavily trafficked intersection connecting the Short North entertainment district, Victorian Village, Weinland Park, and the edge of The Ohio State University campus. The branch opened in June 2017 as a 24,900-square-foot facility that tripled the size of the previous library on the same site, according to Ohio State News. That expansion made the branch a bigger draw for students, families, and neighbors passing through one of the city’s most active corridors…