Shootout in Ohio leaves 4 people dead, including a police officer
Four people, including a police officer, were killed in a shooting in a northern Ohio neighborhood on Sunday, July 5, law enforcement officials said.
Two law enforcement officers and a police K-9 were also injured in the incident, which occurred in the city of Rittman in Wayne County, about 20 miles southwest of Akron.
During a press conference At the scene of the shooting, Wayne County Sheriff Thomas Ballinger said officers responded to a 911 call for a report of shots fired around 9:30 p.m.
Officers responded to the scene and “immediately began shooting,” Ballinger told reporters.
“We lost an officer in the line of duty at this time and two officers were injured,” the sheriff told reporters Sunday night, adding that a police K-9 from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office was also injured in the scuffle.
Ballinger said the suspect and two other victims also died in the shooting.
As of Monday, July 6, law enforcement had not released the names of those killed and the motive for the attack was not immediately known.
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Accordingly Canton WarehouseAs part of the USA TODAY Network, officers from multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene near Cheyenne Drive.
Multiple law enforcement vehicles appeared to have gunshot damage, including cruisers belonging to the sheriff’s office and Rittman, Wooster and Smithville police departments, according to the local TV station. News 5 Cleveland.
In addition to the Rittman Police Department, USA TODAY also reached out to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the lead agency conducting the investigation.
An Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation vehicle at a crime scene in Columbus on June 3, 2026.
Multiple local and state officials expressed their condolences for the slain officer as well as other victims.
“Our hearts go out to the Rittman community this morning as we mourn the loss of a Rittman officer killed while responding to a 911 call last night,” Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said. In a post on X he wrote:. “We are thinking of the victims’ loved ones, the Rittman Police Department, and the entire Wayne County community as we deal with this tragedy.”
“We send our prayers to our brothers and sisters in Wayne County.” Fraternal Police of the Order of Ohio he wrote in a post on Facebook.
Contributors: Columbus DispatchPart of the USA TODAY Network.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior correspondent for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article first appeared on USA TODAY: 4 people, including a police officer, died in Ohio shooting
