Family and friends remember security guards killed in Columbus nightclub shooting; police search for suspect

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two security guards were shot and killed while on the job at the Avalon nightclub in downtown Columbus early Friday morning, leaving two families mourning the loss of their loved ones.

The victims were identified as 36-year-old Ceilin Smith and 27-year-old Desmond Taylor.

“To see a person who has never given you any trouble, who was trying to do their job, and then feel like you have to use violence, it just leaves me speechless,” said Akeem Towns, a childhood friend of Smith.

Towns and Smith grew up together on the south side of Columbus.

“He was always a protector. Of course he worked as a security guard, he was always in clubs and that’s how he made his living. But outside the clubs he was just a protector,” Towns said.

Towns said Smith was a devoted father of three children.

“Everyone deserves to have their father in their life. These children had that taken away and it will affect them for the rest of their lives,” Towns said.

Both Smith and Taylor were passionate about their work and took it seriously.

“When I begged him to do another job, he didn’t want to. He loved doing it, so he died doing what he loved,” said Taylor’s mother, Latrice Bradley.

Bradley said her son has his whole life ahead of him and is looking for his place in Columbus’ nightlife.

“My son didn’t survive his 20s, you know, now I have to bury a child,” she said.

Columbus police issued an arrest warrant for 26-year-old Jaqeuz Hoover in connection with the shooting.

He is accused of the deaths of Taylor and Smith and is still at large as of Sunday evening.