KIRKERSVILLE – The small Licking County town of Kirkersville was stunned by the death of its police chief, killed along with three other people, when a gunman began firing inside a nursing home Friday morning.
UPDATE: This article has been edited to include updated information.
Law enforcement officials searched two vehicles and a home following the killings of Chief Steven Eric DiSario and two employees of the nursing home.
“It’s a very critical incident and we’ve lost a police officer,” Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp said. “Now is just a time to process what’s happened and put our arms around that family.
DiSario, 38, was the father of six children and his wife is pregnant, Thorp said.
The Licking County coroner says autopsy results likely wouldn’t be released until Sunday.
DiSario was shot near the Pine Kirk Care Center, 205 E. Main Street. The gunman, 43-year-old Thomas Hartless, and employees Marlina Medrano and 48-year-old Cindy Krantz, were found dead inside.
Thorp says some of the nursing home’s approximately 23 residents barricaded themselves during the shooting, but none of them was injured and they were evacuated to area hospitals after the incident.
DiSario, 38, responded to a report of a man with a gun outside the nursing home at approximately 7:45 a.m. Friday and was killed when he encountered the shooter, Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp said.
Thorp estimated that the incident transpired “in a matter of minutes.”
Elected officials and law enforcement agencies from around central Ohio offered messages of condolence to DiSario’s fellow officers and his family.
Today, the FCSO stands in solumn solidarity with our fellow officers in Kirkersville over the shooting death of your chief, Steven Disario. pic.twitter.com/r1V7duqXQz
— Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (@OHFCSO) May 12, 2017
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kirkersville PD and community after today's tragedy. pic.twitter.com/i1GHGFWpJU
— Hilliard Ohio Police (@Hilliard_Police) May 12, 2017
My office and I stand ready to help our officers and all those affected in Kirkersville in any way possible.
— Rob Portman (@robportmanOH) May 12, 2017
Heartbreaking news. Grateful to law enforcement who responded to the scene. Thinking of the officer, officer’s family & all involved. https://t.co/REdDHOARn6
— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) May 12, 2017
Gov. John Kasich ordered flags be flown at half-staff on all public buildings and grounds throughout Licking County and at the Statehouse effective through sunset Monday “in honor of the lives lost in the senseless acts of violence.”
DiSario, who has been chief of police only a matter of a few weeks, was found in a street outside the building and aided by officers but died, Thorp said.
Officers who entered the nursing home found the bodies of Medrano, Krantz and Lawless inside the home, Thorp said.
He was unable to say what type of weapon was used but callers to the sheriff’s emergency dispatch center described a shotgun.
Kirkersville Elementary School was closed for the day and student and staff taken to Watkins Middle School for the day. Parents can pick up children at the middle school anytime but the children will remain there for day if necessary and will be served lunch, according to the Southwest Licking School District. The remainder of the district’s buildings were placed on Level 1 lockdown.