PIERCE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A suspect was taken into custody at 6:35 a.m. Sunday, ending an intense 12-hour standoff that resulted in the shooting death of one Clermont County deputy and the wounding of another at The Green at Royal Oak Apartments.
In a brief statement, Capt. Jeff Sellers of the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office said a SWAT team moved in and the suspect surrendered.
Sellers confirmed that a two-alarm fire in the apartment complex where the gunman had barricaded himself was connected to the standoff. Sellers did not release any other details about the standoff.
The apartment complex is next to Stillmeadow Country Club, formerly known as Royal Oak Golf Course.
WCPO’s Jasmine Minor, reporting from a media vantage point a half-mile away, said she heard more shots fired shortly after 6 a.m., and shouts of “Go! Go! Go!” Minor said she saw police cars and fire trucks racing toward the building, then she saw flames shooting through the roof.
WATCH WCPO’s raw video from the scene:
#BREAKING In the video below, you will hear:
▪️Deputies on megaphone “Come outside… we won’t hurt you.”
▪️Firetrucks/deputy car sirens on driving toward apt.
▪️MORE gunshots @WCPO pic.twitter.com/IJPdiKbVi8
— Jasmine Minor (@jasminenminor) February 3, 2019
The names of the deputies and the suspect have not been released. The surviving deputy is stable at University of Cincinnati Medical Center, according to WCPO’s Lisa Smith, reporting from outside the hospital.
Minor reported hearing rounds of gunfire at several times overnight. She said she heard deputies on megaphones saying, “Come out with your hands up! We don’t want to hurt you!”
Earlier, police confirmed that one male suspect was still inside the building,
Here’s a timeline from deputies:
- 6:56 p.m.: Call for welfare check at apartment on St. Andrews Drive;
- 8:15 p.m.: First shots reported inside apartment building;
- 8:25 p.m.: Back up (other agencies) arrive;
- 10:37 p.m.: Two Clermont County deputies shot.
Before the standoff ended, a deputy on the scene told WCPO they had not shot back at the barricaded man but they did fire a flash-bang grenade shortly before midnight. A flash-bang emits an intensely loud “bang” and a blinding flash designed to disorient or incapacitate a suspect.
Sellers called it a very sad day for the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office.
Sellers said the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) would handle the investigation of the standoff and the Ohio Fire Marshal would direct the fire investigation.
Cincinnati police plan to escort the body of the slain deputy from the Hamilton County Morgue to Clermont County later today.
Some residents had been standing outside unable to return to their apartments since the incident began. Clermont County dispatch said some roads in the area were closed, and people were advised to avoid the area.
After one round of gunfire, officials directed news crews to move back from the area around the apartment building.
Lt. Julie Poe with Pierce Twp. police told WCPO a suspect barricaded himself inside his apartment shortly before 7 p.m. and officers immediately responded, with SWAT teams from Cincinnati police assisting Clermont County.
Residents reported seeing a heavy police presence Saturday evening, and said they could hear police using megaphones.
Aircare dispatch confirmed they received a call from the area for medical support, but were unable to respond due to weather issues.
Just one full month into the new year, 2019 has been tragic already for local law officers:
On Jan. 4, Colerain police officer Dale Woods was hit by a moving vehicle while Woods was working another traffic accident on Colerain Avenue. Woods, a 15-year veteran, passed away three days later at UC Medical Center. The driver of the vehicle that struck Woods remained at the scene. No charges have yet been filed, but the case remains under investigation.
On Jan. 29, Clearcreek Township officer Jerrid M. Lee, off-duty at the time, was killed in a vehicle crash on Ohio SR 125 near Lindale Mount Holly Road in Clermont County. Lee died at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide. Authorities believe drugs were a factor in the crash.
https://www.wcpo.com/shots-fired-at-clermont-county-apartment-complex
a welfare check? barricade=locked door?