COLUMBUS- A Clark County Sheriff’s deputy was shot to death during an hours-long standoff over the weekend.
Deputy Matthew Yates was killed Sunday afternoon during a police response in Harmony, according to Ohio attorney general Dave Yost, whose office is investigating the incident at the request of the sheriff’s office.
Yates is second Clark County deputy to be shot to death by a suspect in 12 years, Yost said.
He was a 15-year veteran of the agency.
Sheriff Deb Burchett said at a press conference that the responding officers were shot at once they entered the mobile home Sunday.
Yates was wounded and remained inside the home for several hours before other officers could get him out and take him to a hospital, where he died.
At some point during the episode, the mobile home caught fire. Authorities haven’t released any additional information about a suspect, the shooting or the fire.
Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered flags flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Clark County and at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes State Office Tower in downtown Columbus until sunset on the day of the fallen deputy’s burial.