A Cleveland police officer - identified as 27-year-old Jamieson Ritter - was killed in an overnight shooting.
Cleveland Police Chief Annie Todd confirmed the news during a press conference shortly before 7 a.m., saying the officer was with the department for the past four years assigned to the Third District.
"This is a really tough situation, and it's hitting everyone really hard," Todd said during the press conference.
Ritter graduated from Syracuse University in 2019 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army National Guard. As a member of the Ohio Army National Guard, he served with the 134th Field Artillery Regiment. After joining the Cleveland Division of Police in November 2020, Ritter deployed to Syria in 2022 with his unit and returned to continue his service with the city of Cleveland in 2023.
He was recently recognized as Officer of the Month.
Todd said officers had received a call to respond to the 1500 block of East 80th "for a male wanted for a felonious assault from a local suburb."
"Officers arrived on scene and attempted to make contact with the male," she explained. "The male did exit the house and tried to leave the area on a bicycle. Officers attempted to arrest the male when the male produced a firearm and began firing multiple times. One of our members was struck by one of those bullets. He was transported to the hospital and he did expire at the hospital from his injuries."
The suspect - identified as 24-year-old De'Lawnte Hardy - has been arrested. He was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, but Todd said he had no injuries.
Cleveland police say Hardy has been charged with aggravated murder.
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