Aggravated robbery suspect identified after being fatally shot by officer following pursuit into Nor

The Elyria Police Department says an investigation into an aggravated robbery turned into a pursuit involving several agencies that ended with an officer fatally shooting a suspect on Wednesday.
According to a release, Elyria officers were sent to the AT&T Store on West River Road around 3 p.m. in response to an aggravated robbery involving a firearm. Elyria Police Chief James Welsh later explained that the store was being serviced by an armored car company when the robbery happened.

"The suspect, I believe it was a 31-year-old man with a Lorain address, conducted an armed robbery with the driver of the Brinks truck, forced her into the Brinks van, robbed her at gunpoint of an undisclosed amount of money. At that point, the suspect entered a (privately owned) vehicle and fled the scene," Welsh said during a press conference Wednesday evening.

Police officials say the suspect vehicle was identified and located in Lorain. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver fled from the scene. It led to a pursuit involving several law enforcement agencies that went into Elyria, Elyria Township and ultimately ended in North Olmsted.

"The suspect showed no regard for the safety of motorists or pedestrians in the area, traveling at speeds over 100 miles per hour," Welsh added.

North Olmsted police deployed spike strips on Brookpark Road, which Welsh said temporarily disabled the suspect's vehicle. The suspect got out on foot and fled to an apartment complex on Clareshire Drive. Welsh said the suspect took a woman hostage at gunpoint and brought her inside her residence. He mentioned that the victim has four young children.

"At that point, one of the Elyria police officers that gave chase shot and killed the suspect," he stated.

The suspect was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital before being pronounced dead. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office identified the suspect as 37-year-old John Johnson of Lorain.

No injuries to police or civilians were reported. Across the street, however, a stray bullet flew through a separate home's window.

"I don't know if it came from the police or if it came from the guy," Lee Hawkins, who lives next door to the house that was hit, told 3News. "I have no idea."

Neighbors describe the woman who was held hostage as kind, and say she and her family did not deserve any of this.

"It's really scary to see something like this ever happen here," Ramsey Jaber said. "They never cause any trouble. They don't do anything wrong."

"I'm absolutely mortified for her," Hawkins added. "My wife and I were trying to figure out what we could do to help."

Meanwhile, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation confirmed to 3News that it was been called in by the North Olmsted Police Department to investigate the shooting.

"BCI's Force Investigations Unit and Crime Scene Unit are responding to investigate," an Ohio BCI spokesperson told 3News in an email.

Elyria police says it is continuing the investigation into the aggravated robbery. In the meantime, Welsh called the officer who shot the suspect "a hero."

"This was a serious situation from the start," he added. "It was a violent crime, a kidnapping, a robbery. The officers pursued the suspect and prevented him from harming anyone else. This is a dangerous job. These guys face situations like this every day. I'm proud of all the officers that assisted in this situation. They saved lives today."

Story: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/cri...