Sgt. Tim Kennedy was shot twice by 34-year-old Brandon Steele after officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant in the 700 block of Lynn Street, according to Sidney Municipal Court records. Kennedy was taken to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, where he is in stable condition, according to police.
Steele also reportedly fired at another officer minutes before he shot Kennedy.
Steele was charged with two counts of felony assault Thursday morning in connection to the shooting, according to court records.
When the officers arrived Wednesday to serve the arrest warrant, Steele ran away. An officer spotted him with him near a dead-end on Ronan Street, where Steele fired at the officer, according to Sidney police.
Steel ran again but was found minutes later in an alley off Taft Street, where police said he shot Kennedy, who has been with the department since 2007.
Sidney City Schools announced Thursday it would be closed for the day and canceled all activities.
“Sidney City Schools will be closed today (October 7) due to a shooting incident NOT involving our schools,” read a statement posted on the district’s Facebook page. “The shooter involved is at-large. Please look for updates through local news sources and/or the City of Sidney.”
The district also canceled the homecoming parade, practices and games scheduled for Thursday.
“We are planning to find a way to highlight the Homecoming Court within our school community Wednesday, October 13, and when we do that, we will be sure to share with the public through our social media feeds,” a statement read. “Volleyball Senior Night will take place at the Monday, October 11 game.”
Although the suspect was caught, as of Thursday evening the district did not say it would resume activities as originally planned.
The shooting in Sidney was the first of two law enforcement shootings reported within hours of each other in Ohio.
Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper Josef Brobst was shot around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday during traffic stop on Interstate 75 near Findlay.
The suspect, 42-year-old Robert Tramaine Hathorn, reportedly grabbed the trooper’s gun and shot him during a scuffle. Brobst’s injuries are serious, but not life-threatening, according to OHSP. Hathorn was arrested around 1:30 p.m. in Findlay on County Road 223.
A Dayton Police Department officer was shot and wounded Sept. 21 while investigating a complaint about someone passing a counterfeit bill at a Dollar General store.
Antwyane Deon Lowe, 39, of Dayton, is accused of punching officer Thadeu Hollloway in the face when he was approached and then shot Holloway after the officer used a Taser on him with limited effect, police said. Holloway returned fire, striking Lowe multiple times. Both men survived. Lowe, who is in the Montgomery County Jail, was indicted on numerous felony charges.
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