Later, the suspect was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A Toledo police officer is dead after being shot in the chest while responding to a 911 call from an intoxicated person in a Home Depot parking lot overnight.
Witnesses, according to Toledo Police Chief George Krahl, said the suspect was walking away from Officer Anthony Dia when “for some reason he turned around and fired a bullet from the gun.”
Dia, who leaves behind a wife and a 2-year-old boy, was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
Police deployed a drone and dog to try to locate the suspect. After police heard a lone shot, the 57-year-old white suspect, who has not been publicly identified, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a nearby forested area, Krahl said at a news conference Saturday by the morning.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said Americans gather on Saturday to celebrate their independence and reflect on the sacrifices that service members have made in this country’s history, which also reflect on the sacrifices that local authorities make every day “with little fanfare, often reviled, and always low-appreciated.”
“Our hearts are broken today due to the loss of Toledo Police Officer Anthony Dia, who was killed in the line of duty earlier this morning,” Kapszukiewicz said in a statement Saturday. “We are all in mourning and will never forget his sacrifice.”
Police are scheduled to follow up on a press conference Monday to discuss more details about the suspect and the timeline for the events.
“Sacrifice comes in all its forms and we cannot forget the struggle our police officers face on a daily basis,” Kapszukiewicz said at a press conference on Saturday.
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