Fugitive Killed, SWAT Officer Injured in Jackson Township Standoff, I-77 Reopens After Closure

According to News 5 Cleveland and FOX8, a fugitive was shot dead during a standoff in Jackson Township yesterday, and a SWAT team officer was injured but not seriously.

The suspect barricaded himself in a room and then opened fire on police during the operation, which was conducted at a motel in the 6800 block on Sunset Strip NW. Due to reports of gunfire being directed toward the roadway, this altercation led to the shutdown of I-77 in both directions. Since then, the freeway has reopened, according to statements News 5 Cleveland was able to collect.

In a news release quoted by Cleveland 9 News, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott declared that the slain fugitive had “an extensive violent criminal history dating back to the 1970s” and commended the police for their professionalism.

The injured officer was identified by U.S. Marshals Public Affairs Officer Anne Murphy as Patrick Lewis, a nine-year veteran of the North Canton Police Department. The standoff reportedly escalated with multiple shots fired and after the use of rubber bullets and tear gas, according to Kevin Sigler, who works near the motel and told News 5 Cleveland about seeing the incident unfold. He was treated at a nearby hospital for a gunshot wound sustained to his arm.

According to the U.S. Marshals, investigators discovered two weapons and several expended shells in the hotel room where the fugitive had taken refuge. The public is being urged to get in touch with the U.S. Marshals Service if they have any pertinent information, and more details of the case are still being sought.

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