At roughly 4 a.m. on a quiet Thursday, the calm of Gardiner Drive on Columbus’s east side was shattered by gunfire. Police arriving at a home in the 4500 block found 28‑year‑old Lexus Antrom dead from gunshot wounds. The shooting also injured her husband, who was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.
Investigators with the Columbus Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit are still trying to piece together exactly what happened before officers arrived. No suspect has been named, and police have not shared a motive. Detectives are talking to neighbors and gathering evidence, hoping to get a full picture of the moments leading up to the shooting.
Residents nearby told reporters they were stunned by the violence in a street they thought was safe. Many said they first learned of the shooting from the sound of sirens and police shouting as they worked the scene. A few spoke about the fear that comes after gunshots ring out so close to home.
Antrom’s death is being treated as a homicide, and her body was sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Decatur for further examination. Her husband, who suffered a gunshot wound to the lower body, is expected to recover; his condition was described as stable late Thursday.
The community is now left with concerns and questions. People who live on Gardiner Drive say they’re holding onto hope that someone will come forward with information that helps police move this case forward. There’s a shared sense of loss, but also a hope that answers will come soon.
Police insist they are following every lead and ask anyone with information to get in touch. They say even small details could make a big difference in understanding what occurred that morning.
Friends and family of Antrom have begun sharing memories of her life—a life cut short, but one that clearly mattered deeply to the people who knew her best. Colleagues, neighbors, and loved ones are mourning, remembering her smile and the ordinary moments that now feel so precious.
As officers continue their work, the neighborhood figures out how to move forward, grappling with shock, grief, and the hope that justice and clarity are still within reach.
