GUERNSEY COUNTY, Ohio — Deputies fatally shot a woman who reportedly fired at other officers after a pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies in Guernsey County.
Shortly before 9:30 p.m. Friday, deputies were requested to assist with a pursuit on US 22 near state Route 800 in the northeastern part of the county.
Guernsey County Sheriff Jeffrey Paden said officers with the Barnesville Police Department were pursuing a vehicle driven by a 47-year-old Barnesville woman who was wanted for assaulting a police officer.
Paden said the pursuit started after the woman failed to stop when officers identified her driving through Barnesville in Belmont County. The Ohio State Highway Patrol became involved in the chase as well.
Deputies attempted to spike the tires on the woman's vehicle on US 22 near Rainbow Road, but she avoided it and drove west toward the Salt Fork State Park region. Deputies were then able to spike the woman's tires as she approached Lake Ridge Road.
The woman continued driving and stopped on state Route 285/Wintergreen Road when her tires completely disintegrated, Paden said.
Law enforcement shouted verbal commands for the woman to get out of the vehicle, but she didn't comply and started shouting at the officers.
Paden said after several minutes of failed negotiations, a Cambridge police officer and his K-9 approached the vehicle to prepare to remove the woman from the vehicle.
Other officers noticed the woman holding a gun and pointing it at the officer.
After requesting medics to be on standby in the area, Paden said he attempted to communicate with the woman and encourage her to leave her vehicle but she was uncooperative.
During the negotiations, officers noticed the woman pointing a firearm at the driver's side window of her vehicle.
Members of the Guernsey County Special Response Team approached the vehicle, made contact with the woman and deployed a Taser. It was not effective after several attempts, according to the sheriff.
Paden said the woman reportedly exchanged gunfire with officers and she was wounded. No deputies were injured from the exchange of gunfire.
The woman was taken to Southeastern Ohio Medical Center where she was pronounced dead a short time later. Paden said he will not be releasing the identity of the woman or the deputies involved at this time.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the Officer Involved Shooting unit of the Ohio Attorney General's Office are investigating the shooting.