Fugitive fatally shot by police during standoff in Jackson Township

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A fugitive wanted in West Virginia for a federal weapons offense was shot and killed, and an officer was injured by gunfire following a standoff at a motel in Jackson Township on Monday afternoon.
Police held a news conference to discuss the shooting. You can watch in the player below:
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, it happened in the 6800 block of Sunset Strip NW.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliot said the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force responded Monday afternoon to arrest the man after receiving a warrant on Friday for the fugitive, who Elliot describes as a career criminal with a long history of violent crimes dating back to the 1970s.
Once task force members arrived, Elliot said they approached the man, who Elliot said pointed a firearm at task force members and then barricaded inside a hotel room.
Elliot said task force members tried to get the fugitive to surrender multiple times, but the fugitive refused, so Elliot said task force members called in the Canton Police SWAT Team and the Regional SWAT Team for backup.
That’s when Elliot said the fugitive started shooting from inside the hotel room at officers for several minutes, striking a Canton Regional SWAT Team member in his arm and one law enforcement vehicle.
Elliot said the officer is expected to be okay.
“I’m very glad that all of our law enforcement officers lived, and they are going to be OK. It’s a very dangerous job that the men and the women of the task force have,” said Elliot.
Stark County Sheriff George Maier said the fugitive was ultimately shot by officers and was confirmed dead on the scene.
“This partnership has really allowed us law enforcement to track down and remove violent fugitives from our community,” said Maier.
U.S. Marshals Service said that authorities searched the man’s motel room and found two guns as well as multiple shell casings.
Meantime, as the scene unfolded, Stark County Sheriff George Maier said police shut I-77 down and evacuated Cracker Barrel customers to the back of the building, where they remained in place until the operation ended out of an abundance of caution.
Thankfully, officials said no one besides the swat team member was hurt.
“This is just another example of somebody violent that’s living right here in our community,” said Maier.
Maier said this investigation is now being completed by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation from the Attorney General’s office.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-866-4WANTED. Reward money is available.
A witness account
Kevin Sigler works near the motel and sent News 5 several photos and videos showing law enforcement at the scene.
Sigler said authorities blocked access to his employer’s driveway and told him to lock the doors.
Sigler said, “At first, I thought, you know, just some kind of domestic disturbance. Then I noticed officers with their guns drawn, and that’s when I was like, ‘Oh, something’s going on,’ and then I look over to my left and I see a guy in full tactical gear, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is kind of starting to get serious here.’”
Sigler said the situation kept escalating.
“Multiple agencies start showing up and then SWAT and people with shields,” Sigler said.
“You did hear several gunshots?” News 5 Anchor Damon Maloney asked Sigler during a Zoom interview.
“Yes. Yeah, yeah when the drone entered there were gun shots,” Sigler said. “Multiple rubber bullets, multiple tear gas fired in and, yeah, a lot of shots.”