Fugitive killed, SWAT officer injured in hotel standoff situation: US Marshals

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) – A wanted fugitive is dead and a SWAT team member is injured after a police standoff situation in Jackson Township on Monday.

The FOX 8 I-Team first confirmed that US Marshals were tracking a fugitive, which led to an incident that closed down Interstate 77.

According to US Marshals, members of the Northern Ohio Fugitive Task Force tracked down the suspect to a hotel in the 6800 block of Sunset Strip Avenue.

Investigators say the fugitive was wanted out of West Virginia for a federal weapons offense.

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During the attempted arrest, US Marshals say the suspect pointed a firearm at them and barricaded himself inside a hotel room.

A Canton Regional SWAT team responded to the standoff situation, and according to US Marshals, the suspect fired multiple shots toward officers, striking a SWAT team member and a law enforcement vehicle.

The officer was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

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Investigators say the suspect was shot by officers during the shootout. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers found two firearms and spent bullet casings inside the hotel room.

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“Today, this fugitive with an extensive violent criminal history dating back to the 1970s attempted to kill officers on scene during the arrest,” said US Marshal Pete Elliott in a press release. “Unfortunately, one officer was shot but all officers on scene responded with professionalism, commitment and dedication to safely resolve the situation.”

Elliott said the suspect, whose identity hasn’t been released at this time, had a long history of armed robberies and violent crimes.

“There were multiple, multiple attempts to have him surrender peacefully. He refused to do that and started firing shots through windows, through walls, through everything,” said Elliott.

Neighboring businesses, including Cracker Barrel, reopened after the incident.

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“They were evacuated to the back of the building and remained there until the operation was over,” said Jackson Township Police Chief Mark Brink.

According to OHGo, I-77 was closed both northbound and southbound in Stark County, near the Summit County line, Monday just after 1 p.m.

The interstate reopened around 2 p.m.

A dispatcher with the Ohio State Highway Patrol told FOX 8 the initial call out was for a report of shots fired.

Police say Sunset Strip NW was closed in the area as well.

Canton Police confirmed to FOX 8 that its SWAT team members assisted at the scene.

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