|
Amherst Police
Department, OH
On April 10, 1916, at approximately
9 p.m., Rupert Becker was summoned by Marshall Miller to Church
St. to discuss a problem with a quarry worker, Martin Bischoff.
Bischoff had an argument earlier in the evening with another
bar patron. Marshall Miller learned Bischoff bought a .32-caliber
revolver and ammunition from the local hardware store after the
incident.
While advising Becker and Constable Fields, Bischoff exited a
bar from across the street with the gun in his hand. Marshall
Miller yelled out for him to put the gun away. Bischoff then
raised the pistol and began shooting at the officers. Watchman
Becker was shot four times, sustaining wounds to his back, hips,
and arms. Marshal Miller and Constable Fields were also wounded
during the attack, but survived. Bischoff was apprehended several
minutes later after running from the scene. |
. |
| |
Elyria Police
Department, OH
Patrolman Taft was taking his fellow
officer Andress home. Andress, on the force one month, was off-duty.
A call came on the cruiser's radio to investigate a minor accident.
Thus began a bizarre account of three violent deaths.
Taft's investigation completed, he determined that Nathaniel
Spuriel, whose expensive coupe had collided with another car,
was intoxicated. Taft took the wheel of the coupe to bring the
Clevelander to Police Headquarters asking Andress to follow in
the cruiser. About one hundred feet from the accident scene,
Taft stopped and left the car to free a front fender that was
scraping a tire. An eyewitness to the events that followed was
standing on the sidewalk.
Spuriel removed the keys from his car. Taft ordered him to surrender
the keys and an argument broke out. Taft retrieved the keys and
ordered Spuriel back to the car. Both Officer Andress and the
eyewitness, Arthur DuReitz, said that Spuriel fired a shot from
the car and then jumped out and grappled with Taft. Taft pulled
his pistol and fended off the resisting man. Andress, unarmed,
attempted to go around Spuriel's car, grabbed a rock to circle
around from behind, but was driven back when Spuriel shot at
him. Spuriel followed Taft to the street, both men's guns blazing.
Taft sustained gunshot wounds in his abdomen and hip but managed
to put three bullets into the heart of his assailant, killing
him instantly.
Andress rushed Taft to the hospital where he died an hour and
one half later. Spuriel's car revealed something interesting
when it was searched at headquarters. A woman's nude body was
discovered in the trunk. She had been beaten to death. She was
identified as being involved with Spuriel, and they were to appear
for trial that week in connection with operating a house of prostitution.
Officer Taft's chief interest in private life was his wife and
his eight months old baby son. He had become one of the best
liked on the force, with a high devotion to his duties and a
strict sense of propriety in his work. Taft was twenty-nine at
the time of his death. |
|
| |
Lorain
County Sheriff's Department
 |
On Wednesday afternoon, June 11, 1930, Deputy Strohl was responding
to the scene of a serious traffic accident in North Ridgeville.
The deputy was passing a street car near the intersection of
Cleveland Street and Olive Street when a car made a left hand
turn directly in front of him. Eyewitnesses said the impact hurled
Deputy Strohl through the air, landing him on his back. Deputy
Strohl was taken to the Elyria Clinic on West Avenue where he
died two days later on Friday morning, June 13, 1930
Deputy Strohl's name is inscribed on the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial Wall, Judiciary Square, Washington, D.C., panel
#5, west wall, line 20. |
 |
Deputy George succumbed to injuries received when he was crushed
between two vehicles. He was assisting a disabled motorist when
another vehicle struck one of the cars from behind. Deputy George
had been with the agency for six months. |
 |
Deputy Palermo was shot and killed by a mental patient he was
attempting to apprehend. He had been with the agency for three
years. Following the shooting the suspect was committed at the
Lima State Hospital. In August of 1972, he was released to Lorain
County authorities to stand trial for Deputy Palermo's murder.
On January 2, 1973, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity
and ordered confined at the Lima State Hospital indefinately.
Deputy Palermo's name is inscribed on the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial Wall, Judiciary Square, Washington DC, panel
44, west wall, line 11. |
 |
|
Deputy Tomaszewski was shot
and killed by Curtis Wacker, a juvenile suspect, following a
traffic stop. During the stop, the juvenile was unable to provide
proof of registration for the vehicle. Deputy Tomaszewski followed
the suspect home so he could provide the registration. As Deputy
Tomaszewski used the phone in the home to report his location,
the suspect came from another room with a .22 caliber rifle and
shot him in the chest. The suspect was convicted and sent to
a juvenile detention center until his 21st birthday, when he
was released. Deputy Tomaszewski had been with the Lorain County
Sheriff's Department for one year.
Deputy Tomaszewski's name is inscribed on the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial Wall, Judiciary Square, Washington DC, panel
54, west wall, line 5. |
|
| |
|
Lorain
Police Department, OH
 |
Patrolman Fred Webber was shot and killed while attempting
to apprehend a drunk male. He had responded to a restaurant on
Broadway and attempted to arrest the man. The suspect fled and
Patrolman Webber gave chase. A struggle ensued and both Patrolman
Webber and the suspect were shot as fellow officers arrived on
the scene. Investigations found that the fatal round may have
been fired by another officer, but it could not be proven. The
suspect was charged with shooting with intent to kill and served
one year in prison. |
 |
Patrolman Deal was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver
while directing traffic at the scene of an accident on the Lorain-Elyria
Highway. He succumbed to his injuries while en route to a local
hospital. Three days after the accident a man turned himself
in to face manslaughter charges but a grand jury failed to indict
him. |
 |
Patrolman Kirk died when he fell down an elevator shaft. It is
unknown why the elevator doors were open or how he fell. |
|
| |
Oberlin Police
Department, OH
 |
Officer Woodall was on patrol in area of the Oberlin Reservoir
when his marked unit ran off an ice covered road and slid broadside
into a tree. Dispatch lost contact with Woodall and after a five
minute wait, three cruisers were dispatched to search for him.
Approximately 80 minutes later the officers located Woodall and
his vehicle. Woodall was pronounced dead on arrival at Allen
Memorial Hospital. |
|
| |
Vermilion
Police Department, OH
 |
Patrolman Smolka suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after
arresting a suspect who had resisted arrest.
|
|
| |
Wellington
Police Department, OH
City Marshal George Brenner was
shot and killed by August B. Tiery, 19, whom he attempted to
stop and question on a local street shortly after midnight. Unbeknownst
to Marshal Brenner, the suspect along with his companion, John
Young, 29 had just burglarized the near-by office of the W. &
L.E. Railroad Depot.
As Brenner approached a shot pierced his neck. Mortally wounded,
Brenner was able to walk to the stairway of his apartment over
the Otterbacher Harness Shop and died in the arms of his wife.
Young was dragged out of a livery stable. A revolver was found
near him in a haymound. Tiery, 19, was captured in a boxcar at
Kipton, Ohio. Convicted of second degree murder Tiery was sentenced
to life in prison December 20, 1883. Tiery set fire to his bed
and died in prison, of burns, March 23, 1895. Young received
a five-year sentence
|
|
On Saturday, May 4th, 1957, Patrolman Smith was shot
and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance at 300
Courtland Street between Walter J. Byomin, 40, of Cleveland and
a a former girl friend, Mrs. Helen Bristow.
As Officer Smith arrived, Byomin fled the scene. Patrolman
Smith gave pursuit. An armed Byomin stopped and exited his car
at Barker Street and Maple Street. Patrolman Smith and the suspect
exchanged shots but Patrolman Smith's gun jammed. The suspect
fatally shot the wounded officer as he tried to crawl back into
his patrol car. The suspect was sentenced to death and executed
in 1959.
|
|
| |
Prior Lorain County Service:
|
Corporal "A.J." Coursen and Lance Corporal
Dana Tate were shot and killed after responding to a domestic
disturbance call on Riley Road, in Burton, at approximately 4:00
pm.
A female had called the sheriff's office and complained about
her and her young child being held against their will by her
boyfriend. While the deputies were investigating, they were shot
by the boyfriend, who was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and
was hiding inside a bedroom closet. Deputy Coursen was killed,
but Deputy Tate was able to shoot and wound the suspect before
he died. The suspect was later taken into custody after a search.
The suspect was sentenced to death in 2003.
A.J. started his police career in Grafton, working as a LaGrange
Firefighter as well. Prior to moving to Beaufort, A.J. worked
as the Fire Chief and Police Captain in Lagrange. A.J. was also
assigned to represent Lagrange on the Lorain County Drug Task
Force. He is remembered by his friends in Lorain County for his
dedication and accomplishments.
|
|
Officer Wilcox and Officer Mark Decker were shot and
killed while attempting to question a suspicious man at the Brecksville
VA Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Both officers were armed only
with mace due to administrative guidelines. While the officers
were talking with the man he pulled out a .45 caliber handgun
and shot Officer Decker, killing him instantly. Officer Wilcox
attempted to run for cover, but the suspect chased him before
shooting him as well.
Officer Wilcox was a member of the Elyria Police Department,
prior to joining the V.A. Police. His wife, Cindy, was employed
by the Elyria Police Department in the Records Division at the
time of his death.
|
 |
Trooper
Robert Perez Jr.
Ohio State Highway Patrol
End of Watch: Monday, May 15, 2000
Cause of Death: Automobile accident
Weapon Used: Automobile
Suspect Info: Struck and killed by automobile |
I-80
Memorial |
|
Trooper Robert Perez died three days after his cruiser
was struck from behind while he was writing a traffic citation
on the Ohio Turnpike in Milan, Ohio. Trooper Perez and the vehicle
he had stopped, were in an emergency pull-off when a minivan
struck his cruiser, pushing it into the original stopped vehicle.
Trooper Perez was transported to a hospital in Cleveland where
he died. The suspect who struck his cruiser attempted to flag
down passing motorists, before he sat down in the highway and
was struck and killed by another vehicle. Trooper Perez had been
in law enforcement for three years and had been with the Ohio
State Highway Patrol for one year.
While Trooper Perez was assigned to the Milan Post at the
time of his death, he was raised in Lorain County.
|
|
Updated 011410
|
%20Coursen.jpg)
