def killCellRegion(self, centerColumn, radius):
    """
    Kill cells around a centerColumn, within radius
    """
    self.deadCols = topology.wrappingNeighborhood(centerColumn,
                                          radius,
                                          self._columnDimensions)
    self.deadColumnInputSpan = self.getConnectedSpan(self.deadCols)
    self.removeDeadColumns()
Kill cells around a centerColumn, within radius