NEW ALBANY, Ohio — Investigators said they are working to find the motive behind a mass shooting at a Columbus-area warehouse that killed one person and injured five Tuesday night.
Bruce Reginald Foster III, 28, is accused of opening fire at the KDC/One facility on Smith’s Mill Road in New Albany, a Columbus suburb.
New Albany Police Chief Greg Jones said law enforcement responding to a report of shots fired at the business just missed Foster as he took a ride share away from the scene. Teams of police, aided by drones and a police dog, searched the facility.
“It does appear that there was contact between a victim and the shooter,” Jones said. “At this point, I don't have a clear picture of how involved that contact was.”
Jones earlier described the shooting as a “targeted type of attack.”
About 150 employees inside the building were evacuated to the safety of a nearby building.
“Nobody reported that there was any conflict or that he was in trouble at work,” Jones said.
Foster was arrested Wednesday morning when authorities executed a search warrant at a Columbus address and took him into custody. He is charged with aggravated murder, according to court documents.
Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Dan Deville said a stun gun was used to subdue Foster at the time of his arrest.
“Normally what we prefer to do is have people come out and surrender to us,” Deville said. “He refused to come out. Our guys did have to make entry.”
Deville said Foster was arrested around 10 a.m. Wednesday and turned over to New Albany Police. He is now booked into the Licking County jail. He will be arraigned Thursday morning in Licking County.
“He has spoken with investigators,” Jones said. “I wouldn't call him fully cooperative.”
Four patients from the shooting were being treated at Mount Carmel East Hospital, but their conditions are not able to be publicly disclosed, hospital system spokesperson Mellissa Gallagher said Wednesday afternoon.
“They're hospitalized, and we're certainly hoping that they have a speedy recovery,” Jones said.
All of the victims also worked at the facility, Jones said. The person who was killed died in the building.
ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCormick said Foster legally purchased the gun in September 2024. It was a Glock model 26, what he said is a "compact nine millimeter pistol." He said the magazine normally has 10 rounds but can accept magazines that go up to 31 rounds. The gun was recovered at the shooting scene.
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, officials praised the work of first responders and partner agencies for their efforts. New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding said officers were on-scene at the shooting within four minutes of receiving a call.
"We all know that the test of a true community is not when tragedy strikes," Spalding said. "The test is how the people of that community respond to that tragedy, and I am very confident—as hard as the last several hours have been for our community—that we will overcome this challenge as we have with everything else, as a community, together."
KDC/One CEO Nick Whitley released a statement Wednesday afternoon.
“We are shocked and saddened by the tragic shooting that occurred on February 4 at our New Albany, Ohio facility. Our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted and their families. The safety and well-being of our employees is our top priority," Whitley said. "We are actively assisting the New Albany Police Department in their ongoing investigation and are sincerely grateful for the swift action of our local authorities and first responders.”
Police said this was the first homicide in New Albany's history, a municipality that was incorporated in 1837. New Albany is about 15 miles northeast of downtown Columbus.