Englewood police said officers responded at 5:45 a.m. Sunday to the 200 block of Eller Avenue after woman said she was concerned “due to the presence of a wanted male that had an active felony warrant for his arrest.”
Police said they confirmed that the man, later identified as Fairchild, was hiding under a bed upstairs and was possibly armed with a handgun. Police evacuated the other occupants from the house and said Fairchild ignored repeated commands to exit the bedroom.
Englewood police described the confrontation as follows:
“A K9 officer from Perry Township Police Department responded to assist. After deployment of the canine into the bedroom, a single gunshot was heard believed to be from the hiding suspect. In response, the Perry Twp. officer fired his handgun in defense of his canine partner. During this incident, two less-than-lethal (beanbag) rounds were fired by an Englewood officer because of the suspect’s non-compliance with verbal commands. The suspect died on scene. A handgun was recovered from the suspect’s hand.”
In body camera footage officers can be heard calling for Fairchild, saying they have a warrant for his arrest and that he needs to come out with his hands up. Once a Perry Twp. officer arrived with a canine, police proceeded into the bedroom. While the officers were moving items in front of a bed, a popping noise can be heard on the body camera. The Perry Twp. officer then fired his weapon as they backed out of the bedroom. He can be heard saying he “got [Fairchild] in the arm.”
Officers called for Fairchild from the hallway but did not get a response. Police officers and the canine officer were not injured.
Englewood police said they asked the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to handle the criminal investigation, including crime scene processing and evidence collection. That investigation is ongoing.
Englewood Police said they will conduct an administrative investigation pertaining to policy compliance by involved officers.
A summons had been issued for Fairchild in Montgomery County Municipal Court East Division for flee/elude officer and obstructing official business charges on Dec. 22. He was ordered to appear in court at 1 p.m. on Jan. 12, according to court documents.
The charges stemmed from an incident on Dec. 16 where police were called to a report of a suspicious vehicle at a gas station the 6500 block of U.S. 40. The responding officer found a red Cadillac with its driver side tail light out, according to the complaint.
The driver of the car, later identified as Fairchild, initially gave the name of Craig Moore and a false Social Security number to police, the court document stated. Once Fairchild’s identity was verified, the officer attempted to arrest Fairchild on an active warrant.
Fairchild then fled, driving across a gas station parking lot and east onto U.S. 40, according to court records. The officer followed the car and attempted a traffic stop, but Fairchild was able to get away.
The officer returned to the gas station to speak to a man and woman who were with Fairchild when police first responded. They told the officer the man met Fairchild on Facebook and arranged to meet at Fairchild’s home so he could buy some items, according to court documents. They reportedly loaded up Fairchild’s car with items the man purchased and drove to the gas station to pick up the woman from work.
When the officer was at the cruiser after telling Fairchild he had a headlight out, the pair said Fairchild told them he had possible warrants and illegal items on him, according to the complaint. They said Fairchild said he “could not go back to jail” and that he was about to “dip/flee,” the document read. The man and woman then got out of the vehicle.
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