Sheriff’s deputy killed in shooting at mobile home park in Ohio
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A Sheriff’s deputy has been fatally shot at a mobile home park in Ohio.
The deputy from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed on Sunday morning after he followed up on a report of a break-in and a shooting at the park.
Sheriff Deb Burchett told the press on Sunday that Matthew Yates, a 15-year-veteran of the department, was killed, Cleveland.com reported.
Ms Burchett said police responded to Harmony Estates Mobile Home Park after getting a 911 call at about 10.51am. She added that multiple shots were fired upon the arrivals of the deputies, and they entered the residence to investigate, Ms Burchett added.
They faced additional gunfire when they entered the home. Mr Yates was wounded and was taken to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton where he died of his injuries.
“Please keep the Yates family in your thoughts and prayers, and the sheriff’s office in your thoughts and prayers”, Ms Burchett said.
Police couldn’t reach Mr Yates for hours after he was shot, according to the Dayton Daily News, After police got him out, the mobile home caught fire.
While police released no further details, family members of the man living in the home told the paper that he was experiencing mental health problems and that a relative had visited him on Sunday. Family members told the Dayton Daily News that the man shot the relative and then began firing at officers.
The family members said the man and his female relative both died in the shooting. Barry Espy, a resident of Clark County, told the publication that his great nephew Cole Matthew White was behind the shooting and thought to be dead. Mr Espy’s niece Jody Arbuckle is also thought to have died in the home.
The shooting led to a large number of officers being called in, including tactical teams to get Mr Yates out after he was shot in the residence. The officers stormed the trailer to get the deputy out.
Law enforcement hasn’t confirmed the statements made by Mr Espy. Two body bags were seen outside the residence around 6pm on Sunday.
Mr Yates was put in an armoured vehicle at about 2.30pm. He was treated by medics before being taken to hospital.
James Myers told the paper he was Mr White’s brother, and he confirmed Mr Espy’s version of events.
Ms Arbuckle entered the home on Sunday morning. She was on the phone with her wife at the time. The wife heard the man say “I’m sorry” just before she heard the sound of gunfire, Mr Espy told the paper, adding that he doesn’t believe that anyone else was present at that time.
“He lost his mind or something, snapped, I don’t know what happened”, Mr Espy said.
Mr White had been living alone at the home for several years after inheriting the residence following the death of his grandmother. Mr Espy said he had been distancing himself from his family for unknown reasons.
Mr Myers said his brother had mental health problems and that “the world only knows him in the last four hours, and this was not that man”.
“He was a great person, very loving and caring”, he added.
Neighbours reported that multiple shots were fired from the home at 12.30pm with another five shots being fired at around 1.15pm while police were engaged in a standoff.
“We just had a lot of cops coming in and we’ve heard a lot of gunfire. SWAT teams are everywhere”, resident Peggy Dennin said.