CLEVELAND — An off-duty Cleveland police officer was shot and killed in a carjacking, and two suspects are in custody, authorities said.
The officer, later identified as 25-year-old Shane Bartek, was relatively new to the force and fought back but was shot twice during a robbery of his vehicle early Friday evening on Cleveland’s west side, officials said.
The shooter took Bartek’s vehicle, which was tracked down in suburban Euclid, where the suspect was arrested, police say.
Bartek was pronounced dead on arrival at Fairview Hospital.
3News reports that after a pursuit involving multiple different law enforcement agencies, Bartek's vehicle was recovered and a man was taken into custody. A woman was also arrested in connection to the incident.
Cleveland police are investigating the incident and charges have not been filed against the two individuals.
According to 3News, Bartek joined the Cleveland Division of Police in August 2019. He was recently assigned to the Fifth District on the east side of Cleveland.
“My heart is aching for the family, for our officers. Senseless. It just doesn’t make any sense,” said incoming Cleveland Police Chief Wayne Drummond.
It’s the first fatal shooting of a Cleveland police officer since detective James Skernivitz was shot and killed in September 2020 during an undercover drug operation. A police informant was also killed.
