16-year-old taken into custody after deadly Springfield shooting; Victim identified

SPRINGFIELD — A 16-year-old has been taken into custody after a deadly shooting in Springfield Sunday afternoon.

Springfield police and medics were dispatched around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday to the 800 block of South Center Street on a report of a woman found inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds, according to a spokesperson for Springfield police.

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When officers arrived on scene, they found Tiffany Higgins, 38, of Springfield, deceased.

During the investigation, officers received information that a person of interest had made threats to shoot unknown individuals at an undisclosed school.

“Out of an abundance of caution, Springfield Police Division, in collaboration with the Springfield City School district and local schools within the City of Springfield and Clark County, determined it best to close school for March 18,” the spokesperson said.

A suspect was located and taken into custody at around 1:00 a.m. after the Ohio State Highway Patrol was advised to be on the lookout for a stolen vehicle.

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The vehicle was identified as a 2012 GMC Acadia driven by a 16-year-old, according to a spokesperson for the Ohio State Highway Patrol. News Center 7 is not identifying the suspect because he is a juvenile.

A trooper from the Springfield Post located the stolen vehicle on E. Rose Street in Springfield.

The trooper initiated a traffic stop, but the GMC failed to stop and a pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, troopers say the suspect lost control of the GMC and traveled off the roadway, hitting two utility poles and a house in the 500 block of Linden Avenue.

The suspect got out of the vehicle and fled on foot. OSP said the teen failed to comply with verbal commands given by the trooper and was subsequently taken into custody.

Additional details have not been released.

We will continue updating this story as we learn more.

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