ONTARIO, Ohio — The Ontario Police Department released body camera video showing the moments leading up to an officer being shot on Sunday.
Officers were called to Landings at Walker Lake due to someone violating a protection order. The 911 called told police the suspect was armed.
Video shows officers approaching an apartment with children running in the driveway to escape. As police get closer, they tell the suspect, 32-year-old Jareth Vance, not to move. That's when four adults come out through the front door.
Police Chief Tommy Hill said as his officers were approaching, Vance put a gun to a woman's head. Then police said Vance shot an officer as he was trying to tell Vance to put the gun down. Hill identified the officer as 29-year-old Dylan Bailey.
The chief said it was a complex situation, but he is proud of how his officers responded.
“This was a situation unraveling. There were kids running out of the house, adults running out of the house. We didn’t know if the suspect was running out and our officers were able to get as many people out as they could,” Hill said.
The chief said officers train for these situations, but you are never really prepared until it happens.
“When I watched this (body camera footage) my heart sank because this is the worst situation. You never want your officers to be involved,” said Chief Hill.
Hill said Bailey is a hero. He didn’t give up even after he was shot by the suspect.
“After he got a tourniquet on his left leg, he asked the officers to lift him up to where he could get his rifle in the car and point it at the front door. So he could protect everyone that was there,” he said.
Vance is charged with attempted aggravated murder. Hill said there will be more charges soon.
The woman and police officer who were shot are expected to survive.