MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio — As Officer Shane Bartek was remembered at a Middleburg Heights church on Tuesday, his twin sister, Summer Bartek, said that her brother was someone who “wanted to be remembered as someone who cared.”

What You Need To Know

  • Cleveland Police Officer Shane Bartek, 25, was remembered at a funeral in Middleburg Heights Tuesday

  • Bartek’s twin sister, Summer, said her brother was a “leader and wise beyond his years”

  • Bartek was killed on New Year’s Eve in an alleged carjacking

  • Bartek’s funeral was attended by numerous law enforcement officers from throughout the region

“I wish I could tell him one more time how much I admired him,” Summer Bartek said. “How he has always been my idol growing up and always will. I am 13 minutes older than Shane, but he always treated me like a little sister.”

Bartek was remembered Tuesday at Grace Church. A number of officers from other jurisdictions attended Tuesday’s service. 

City officials announced last week that Bartek was determined to have died in the line of duty on Dec. 31.

A Cuyahoga County grand jury issued 10 criminal counts on Friday in its indictment of Tamara McLoyd, 18, who is accused of killing Bartek.

The city previously said that Bartek was the victim of a carjacking. McLoyd had her bond set earlier last week at $5 million. Prosecutors are accusing McLoyd of killing the officer in the parking lot of an apartment building on Rocky River Drive. 

Summer Bartek shared stories of growing up with her twin brother, saying she knew that her brother would become an officer after the two would play with walkie talkies. 

“Growing up, Shane was funny and he was the yin to my yang,” she said. “I was always a shy introvert and Shane was the guy who could make friends with anyone and was a leader and wise beyond his years. Although he had so many friends, he always made sure to make his twin feel included.” 

Following a photo montage of Bartek’s life, new interim Police Chief Wayne Drummond addressed mourners to offer the department’s condolences to the family. 

“While I did not have the privilege to know Shane personally, I have recently talked with many officers who spoke of him very highly,” Drummond said. “Most of them work out of the fifth district, where Shane was assigned and where I was a commander for nearly a decade. I learned that courage came naturally to Shane, and I heard stories that Shane truly embodied the virtues needed to be an outstanding law enforcement officer: kindness, truth, mercy, generosity and honesty.” 

Drummond added that Bartek had gained the trust of those from his supervisors to the community. 

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