This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/10/us/westerville-ohio-officers-killed.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Two Ohio Police Officers Killed Responding to 911 Hangup Call, Officials Say | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two police officers in a city near Columbus, Ohio, were shot and killed Saturday while responding to a 911 hangup call involving potential domestic abuse, the authorities said. | Two police officers in a city near Columbus, Ohio, were shot and killed Saturday while responding to a 911 hangup call involving potential domestic abuse, the authorities said. |
| Chief Joe Morbitzer of the Westerville Police Department said the officers, Eric Joering, 39, and Anthony Morelli, 54, had responded at 12:10 p.m., eight minutes after the call, about a “potential domestic situation.” | Chief Joe Morbitzer of the Westerville Police Department said the officers, Eric Joering, 39, and Anthony Morelli, 54, had responded at 12:10 p.m., eight minutes after the call, about a “potential domestic situation.” |
| “As they went into the apartment they were immediately met with gunfire and both officers were shot,” Chief Morbitzer said at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. He paused several times to choke back tears. | “As they went into the apartment they were immediately met with gunfire and both officers were shot,” Chief Morbitzer said at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. He paused several times to choke back tears. |
| Officer Joering, a 16-year veteran of the department, died at the scene. Officer Morelli, a 29-year veteran, was transported to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus in critical condition but later died. | Officer Joering, a 16-year veteran of the department, died at the scene. Officer Morelli, a 29-year veteran, was transported to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus in critical condition but later died. |
| “These were two of the best we had,” the chief said. “This was their calling and they did it right.” He called the officers “true American heroes.” | “These were two of the best we had,” the chief said. “This was their calling and they did it right.” He called the officers “true American heroes.” |
| A suspect in the shootings was wounded when the officers returned fire, Christa Dickey, a spokeswoman for the city of Westerville, said in a phone interview. He was taken to a hospital and his condition was unknown, she said. | A suspect in the shootings was wounded when the officers returned fire, Christa Dickey, a spokeswoman for the city of Westerville, said in a phone interview. He was taken to a hospital and his condition was unknown, she said. |
| The shooting occurred in a condominium community on Crosswind Drive with about 500 residents, according to those who live in the area. | The shooting occurred in a condominium community on Crosswind Drive with about 500 residents, according to those who live in the area. |
| “It’s very sad. All you can do is pray at this point,” a resident, Charline Garrabrant, 75, said in a phone interview. The shooting occurred behind her garage. | “It’s very sad. All you can do is pray at this point,” a resident, Charline Garrabrant, 75, said in a phone interview. The shooting occurred behind her garage. |
| Ms. Garrabrant and her husband, Karl Garrabrant, a retired fire chief for nearby Minerva Park, did not hear any gunfire, she said, and did not realize anything had happened until they saw police cars parked nearby and turned on their police scanner to learn more. | Ms. Garrabrant and her husband, Karl Garrabrant, a retired fire chief for nearby Minerva Park, did not hear any gunfire, she said, and did not realize anything had happened until they saw police cars parked nearby and turned on their police scanner to learn more. |
| “Around here it’s always been pretty quiet,” she said. “I mean, the police have been here several times for mild disturbances, but not really close to where this happened.” | “Around here it’s always been pretty quiet,” she said. “I mean, the police have been here several times for mild disturbances, but not really close to where this happened.” |
| Chief Morbitzer said there had been an outpouring of support from around the country. | Chief Morbitzer said there had been an outpouring of support from around the country. |
| “They knew how to do policing the right way, both of them,” he said. “Both gave their lives for the protection of others and that’s what they lived and breathed.” | “They knew how to do policing the right way, both of them,” he said. “Both gave their lives for the protection of others and that’s what they lived and breathed.” |
| President Trump tweeted his condolences and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio said on Twitter he was “saddened to learn of the deaths of two of my hometown police officers.” | President Trump tweeted his condolences and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio said on Twitter he was “saddened to learn of the deaths of two of my hometown police officers.” |
| James P. O’Neill, the commissioner of the New York Police Department, said on Twitter that it sounded as if the officers were “ambushed.” | James P. O’Neill, the commissioner of the New York Police Department, said on Twitter that it sounded as if the officers were “ambushed.” |
| “Everyone should be as upset about this as America’s law enforcement officers are. No cop, anywhere, ‘signed up’ to be murdered,” he wrote. | “Everyone should be as upset about this as America’s law enforcement officers are. No cop, anywhere, ‘signed up’ to be murdered,” he wrote. |
| With the deaths of the two Westerville officers on Saturday, at least five police officers were shot and killed in the line of duty this week. | With the deaths of the two Westerville officers on Saturday, at least five police officers were shot and killed in the line of duty this week. |
| Officer Chase Maddox, 26, of the Locust Grove, Ga., police department was shot and killed on Friday as he was trying to serve a warrant with two other officers. The suspect was killed. Mr. Maddox was survived by a child and his pregnant wife. | Officer Chase Maddox, 26, of the Locust Grove, Ga., police department was shot and killed on Friday as he was trying to serve a warrant with two other officers. The suspect was killed. Mr. Maddox was survived by a child and his pregnant wife. |
| In Richardson, Tex., Officer David Sherrard, 37, was shot and killed on Wednesday while responding to a disturbance at an apartment complex. | In Richardson, Tex., Officer David Sherrard, 37, was shot and killed on Wednesday while responding to a disturbance at an apartment complex. |
| The suspect was believed to have fatally shot an acquaintance before firing at police officers as they entered the apartment. Officer Sherrard, a married father of two daughters, was the first officer killed in the line of duty in the department’s 63-year history. | |
| Deputy Sheriff Micah Flick, 34, of the El Paso County sheriff’s office in Colorado Springs, Colo., was shot and killed on Monday when a car theft suspect fired an automatic weapon at officers, according to the authorities. He was survived by his wife and 7-year-old twins. |