A Franklin County judge has sentenced a retired Columbus police officer to three years of probation following the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Donovan Lewis. The sentence, handed down on November 4, 2026, by Judge Julie Lynch in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, concludes a criminal case involving an officer-involved shooting that occurred in 2022.
The incident took place in the Hilltop neighborhood of Columbus while officers were serving an overnight arrest warrant. Body camera footage from the scene showed that Ricky Anderson, who was serving as a police dog handler at the time, shot Lewis in his bed shortly after a door was opened and the 20-year-old woke up. Anderson later stated he believed Lewis was armed, though Lewis was holding a vape pen in his hand.
Anderson Enters Alford Plea for Reckless Homicide
In September, Anderson entered an Alford plea to a charge of reckless homicide. Under this legal arrangement, the defendant acknowledges that sufficient evidence exists to support a conviction without formally admitting guilt. Prosecutors subsequently moved to drop a pending murder charge against him. During the sentencing hearing, Anderson addressed the courtroom, stating, “Your honor, I do apologize to each and every one of Donovan’s family. I’m sorry to my family for what they’ve had to go through for the last four years. This has been a very trying time. I’ve suffered a lot. Everybody’s suffered a lot.”
The victim’s mother, Rebecca Duran, provided an emotional impact statement, describing the daily trauma of her son’s death. She told the court that she regularly wakes up between 2 and 3 a.m.—the approximate time the shooting occurred—and struggles to explain the loss to Lewis’ young son. Duran and other family members had formally requested that Judge Lynch impose the maximum three-year prison sentence allowable under the plea agreement.
Judicial Rationale for Probation
When Judge Lynch announced the decision to grant three years of community control rather than incarceration, members of the gallery expressed audible distress, with some attendees vocalizing their frustration as they exited the courtroom. Judge Lynch framed the decision by stating that the shooting was not “purposeful” or “intentional” and did not constitute a homicide in her view. Addressing the family’s request for prison time, she remarked, “The problem is what the family wants really is vengeance. And we’re here for justice.”
Lynch further noted that the family had accepted the terms of the Alford plea and should have understood that the agreement did not guarantee a prison sentence. Under the conditions of his probation, Anderson is prohibited from owning a firearm and may be subject to travel restrictions, mandatory counseling, and mental health assessments. The judge warned that any violation of these terms would result in a three-year prison term.
Defense Attorney and Lewis Family React to Outcome
Following the hearing, defense attorney Mark Collins maintained that Anderson had been reluctant to accept a plea deal because he viewed the shooting as a “mistake.” Collins stated, “He did this so that the Lewis family could in fact take a step towards another step in the grieving process.”
Representatives for the Lewis family expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome. Robert Gresham, an attorney for the family, emphasized that legal accountability should apply equally to law enforcement and civilians. “When we talk about justice, justice has to apply to officers just as much as it applies to the people being policed. We’re disappointed in the outcome here,” Gresham said. He noted that because of the Alford plea, Anderson is precluded from contesting the issue of recklessness in forthcoming civil proceedings.
See the photos: Former police officer Ricky Anderson sentenced Nov. 4. 2026 for shooting Donovan Lewis in 2022. See link below ⬇️ https://t.co/HAhtpANddS pic.twitter.com/9nUC7DEWx5
The civil litigation filed by the family against Anderson is scheduled to go to trial in February. The proceedings will address outstanding claims related to the 2022 shooting death of Donovan Lewis.
This report is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal or professional advice. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or the impact of trauma, support is available through local community resources and national crisis hotlines.
