WILD Footage Shows Columbus Cops Chase Armed Robbers During A High Speed Chase Ending A Foot Chase In A Parking Lot, One Robber Gets Yeeted By A Cop Cruiser

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Newly circulated dashcam and body-camera video shows Columbus police officers in a high-speed pursuit of two armed-robbery suspects that ended with a crash, a foot chase, an accidental weapon discharge, and two officers injured.

The incident began on the evening of Sept. 3, 2024, in the city’s Hilltop neighborhood. A victim flagged down officers near Sullivant Avenue and Ogden Avenue and reported being robbed at gunpoint, describing the suspects and their vehicle, according to the Columbus Division of Police and local reports.

Officers later spotted a matching vehicle near East Livingston Avenue and Alum Creek Drive in southeast Columbus. The occupants ignored lights, sirens, and commands to stop, and a pursuit followed through city streets.

Dashcam footage shows the lead cruiser losing control and striking a fence and tree after a turn. A following cruiser moved into the lead and attempted a precision immobilization technique, or PIT maneuver, to stop the fleeing car. Additional officers tried the same maneuver later in the chase. At one point, a tire separated from the suspect vehicle and rolled down the roadway.

The chase ended in the 1100 block of Alum Creek Drive when the suspect car went over a curb and crashed into a building. Two men bailed out and ran in opposite directions. A police cruiser struck one of the fleeing men and also crashed into the building. Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 9 President Brian Steel said the passenger officer was drawing his weapon to pursue armed suspects on foot when the deploying airbag struck him in the face and caused an accidental discharge. No one was hit by the round.

Both suspects, identified as 21-year-old Jolan Rutherford and 21-year-old Ondae Sullivan, were taken into custody after the foot pursuit. Officers recovered a firearm at the scene. Court documents state the pair discarded a gun and face coverings linked to the robbery. Two officers were treated at a hospital for minor injuries and later released. The suspects were also treated by medics.

Sullivan was charged with felony fleeing and eluding and tampering with evidence. Rutherford was charged with tampering with evidence. A judge set bond at $500,000. Detectives said the underlying armed-robbery investigation remained ongoing after the initial court appearance.

Police released the dashcam and body-camera footage days later. The video, which has circulated again online, shows officers issuing repeated commands during the takedown, including warnings that they would shoot if the suspects did not comply. Steel described the accidental discharge as the result of the airbag impact during the crash, not an intentional shot.

The pursuit crossed multiple parts of the city and ended with both the suspect vehicle and a cruiser damaged. Authorities have not released a full accounting of speeds or traffic conditions during the chase. No bystanders were reported injured.

The case highlights the risks officers face when suspects refuse to stop after an alleged armed robbery and the split-second decisions involved in ending a pursuit that has already moved through residential and commercial areas.