MANSFIELD, Ohio –Terrence Moxley, 29, was pronounced dead Tuesday following an incident at the Volunteers of America halfway house on North Main Street. A staff member called 911 and Mansfield police officer responded and subsequently used a Taser to subdue Moxley, who was described as “out of control.” Moxley was later pronounced dead at OhioHealth MedCentral Hospital.
Mansfield Police Chief Ken Coontz and Mansfield Safety Director Lori Cope deferred further questions to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Jill Delgreco of BCI said Wednesday the incident is under investigation and awaiting an autopsy report by the Summit County Coroner. Autopsy results could take up to two months, she said.
Cope said she is confident everyone did what they were supposed to do.
“The minimum amount of necessary force was used to retain him,” stated Cope.
“It really was an unfortunate incident for everyone involved. We’ve never had a death from a Taser,” said Cope.
On Tuesday, Mansfield police officers responded to a 911 call from the Volunteers of America in reference to “an out of control person” at approximately 3:30 p.m. According to a police statement, the staff member stated, “He is having a bad reaction to something and he is swinging on people and we can’t control him.” The staff member also stated, ‘He is punching the wall right now. We need someone as soon as you can get them.”
Moxley was described as violently slamming a door inside the facility over 200 times, causing items to fall off the wall, and breaking the window in the door and damaging the door’s steel frame. He appeared to be incoherent, and approximately 15 people were evacuated from the room.
He calmed down enough to be handcuffed but then became agitated again and attempted to break free from the officers, according to the statement. According to the police, two Taser cartridges were expended to subdue Moxley and one officer was inadvertently shocked by the Taser during the struggle.
Officers then observed that Moxley was in medical distress and he was taken to Ohio Health MedCentral hospital by on-scene medical personnel and was later pronounced dead.
Cope said the Mansfield Police Department requested the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Richland County Prosecutor’s assistance upon arrival to the scene of the incident. She said both arrived Tuesday evening, which is in accordance to Mansfield police department’s protocol. The incident is currently under investigation by BCI.
Cope said that in accordance with department protocol, Mansfield police officers Shane Gearhart, Paul Webb, Steven Hornback, James Reed and Orlando Chatman are on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. An investigation is also in accordance with department policy.
According to the Ohio Bureau of Rehabilitation and Corrections, Moxley was convicted of two counts of drug trafficking in 2014 and sentenced to one year in prison. Moxley served four months in Belmont Correctional Institution then was released and sentenced to six months of post-release control.
