Again I have a heavy heart and have to report a second Police Officer this week IS ADDED TO END OF WATCH.
ELYRIA -- An Elyria police officer is dead after a man shot him on 18th Street Monday night. Officer James Kerstetter was responding to the neighborhood for a 911 call from a woman who said a neighbor exposed himself to her child and kicked in a window.
The suspect has also been fatally shot. Police identify him as Ronald Palmer.
Police Chief Duane Whitely says Kerstetter came into contact with Palmer when he entered the home on 18th St. Palmer than shot Kerstetter. Kerstetter radioed for back-up and reported that he had been shot.
When Palmer left the house back-up Elyria officers confronted, shot and killed the suspect.
Chief Whitely says other officers tried to treat the wounded patrolman, who was taken to EMH Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead.
Chief Whitely says Kerstetter was on the force 15 years, hired in September of 1994. While servicing on the Elyria Police Department, Kerstetter served as an accident investigator, field training officer and member of the departments special response team. Prior to that Kerstetter was a Lorain County sheriff's deputy before that.
The investigation has been turned over to the Lorain County Sheriff's office. A sheriff's deputy said that she could not give any information on the case.
Kerstetter is the son of retired Elyria Township Fire Chief James Kerstetter. He is survived by his wife Tammy and three daughters, Misty, 17, Shelby, 14, and Brittany, 8.
A fund will be set up at First Merit Bank in the name of James A. Kerstetter. Donations can be made at any First Merit Bank branch.
OFFICER KERSTETTER,THANK YOU FOR SERVICE,REST IN PEACE
Killed by a sex offender that probably got out of prison early because of overcrowding. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame Mike. What a shame. His family and friends and especially the law enforcement community are in my prayers. I think you and I have seen and stood at attention at these funerals way too many times. I've lost count.
Have a terrific day. Big hug. :)
WHAT is going in this country? It's almost every day now that we hear about an assault on a police officer, and it seems like every week one is being killed. It's become an epidemic; open season on cops. This sickens and disgusts me. If juries would stop having sympathy on cops killers when they convict them, and give them the death penalty like they deserve, maybe more cops would be alive today. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteI stopped going due to my medical condition,and yes we have stood at attension at way too many of these.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear this. His family is in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteMatty,there are way to many fools out there that do not want to be locked up and the mentality is to kill the cop and just try to get away.
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