MANSFIELD — A man armed with a box cutter was shot and killed by Mansfield police officers after a Taser had no affect on the suspect during a disturbance at a Straub Road West apartment complex late Monday afternoon.
In a press release this evening, Mansfield Police Assistant Chief Keith Porch said police received a call at 4:25 p.m., stating an unknown male suspect was breaking into an apartment at 650 Straub Road West, Apt. 208.
“The caller advised he believed the male was intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, and it appeared the suspect was in possession of a box cutter,” the press release said.
“Shortly after arriving at the apartment complex, the officers confronted the suspect, who was highly agitated. Officers noted the suspect had already injured himself with a cutting instrument,” the release said.
“Officers deployed tasers that had no effect on the suspect’s actions. The confrontation then escalated and resulted in the suspect being fatally shot. (The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation) was requested to conduct the investigation into the shooting,” the release said.
“The officers involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave, per department policy. The officers involved are Officer Matt Davis, Officer Thayne Telquist, and Officer Scott Kotterman. None of the officers involved were injured,” the press release said.
The apartment complex is just east of the roundabout at the intersection with Middle-Bellville Road.
The apartment was on the second floor on the west end of the complex.
BCI arrived on the scene just before 6 p.m.
Crime scene tape lined the area and Bob Ball, an investigator with the Richland County Coroner’s office, responded to the scene around 5 p.m.
Porch, Chief Ken Coontz and Mansfield Safety-Service Director Lori Cope were also at the scene.
It was the second law enforcement-involved incident involving north central Ohio authorities in a 48-hour period.
An unidentified Ashland police officer shot a man Saturday night while responding to a report of a suspect threatening people with a knife on the 600 block of Sandusky Street.
Stay with Richland Source for more information on this developing story.
