Man killed after officer-involved shooting in Whitehall
WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) – One man is dead after being shot by a Whitehall police officer early Friday morning.
According to Whitehall Chief of Police Mike Crispin, two officers were conducting a routine traffic stop at around 2 a.m. when they heard gunfire nearby. Whitehall’s Shotspotter alerted the officers to the Roses Discount Store in the 4600 block of East Main Street.
Upon arrival police saw two cars, but one, a dark colored SUV, sped away immediately. Officers approached the parked vehicle, a silver Honda Pilot, and found two men. Attempts to communicate were difficult, police said, due to a language barrier, but after spotting a firearm, the men were told to put their hands up and comply in both Spanish and in English.
The driver of the vehicle cooperated and was removed from the vehicle, while the man in the passenger seat spun around and reached for something, police said. At that point, police shot the man in the passenger seat.
"Officers told him to lift his hands up several times in both Spanish and English and still did not comply," Crispin said. "It appears on the video he quickly spun around and reached for something, spun back toward the officer. The officer then responded to the threat. Shots were fired into the vehicle."
The man, whose identity is still unknown, was taken to Mount Carmel East hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later. Neither officer was hurt during the shooting.
A handgun was found inside the vehicle and police are still searching for the other SUV that fled the scene. However, police do not believe there is a threat to the public.
“Plenty of officers are out. We don’t see any concerns for our citizens at this point,” Crispin said. “Everyone has been secured other than we don’t know anything about the vehicle that took off.”
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation will take over the case as is typical with any officer-involved shooting incident. Police say the scene will be an active investigation for at least a few more hours.