BREAKING: Suspect dead after shootout with law enforcement
DOVER (WJER) (May 3, 2024) – Tuscarawas County Sheriff Orvis Campbell says one suspect is dead after a shootout with law enforcement early this morning at the top of the Schneiders Crossing Exit ramp from I-77 south in Dover.
No officers were injured.
Campbell says the man’s identity was not immediately released until family members are notified. But he can confirm the man was not from Tuscarawas County.
Campbell says the situation started around 2:20 a.m. with troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol first on scene, followed by his deputies, for a man experiencing some sort of crisis.
Campbell says the deputies and troopers unsuccessfully attempted for a few hours to deescalate the situation and get the man help.
“Numerous different things were tried, including trying to get him to speak with crisis services and bringing him food,” said Campbell.
Talks broke down just before 5:30 a.m. and multiple shots were fired.
“It eventually escalated to a situation where the individual produced a firearm and then there were shots fired at both the highway patrol and one of my deputies,” said Campbell.
Campbell says Ohio BCI is investigating the response and the sequence of shots on behalf of the patrol and his office.
“I think that it will come out later that the troopers and the deputy acted as they were trained, honorably in the way our community would expect,” Campbell said. “It’s just one of those situations that appears to be unavoidable.”
That exit ramp has been closed to traffic for several hours as a result of the incident.