CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter, 27, was shot and killed while responding to a call just before 1 a.m. Thursday, police officials confirmed.
Police had received a call to the 1500 block of East 80th Street about a male wanted for felonious assault. After arriving at the scene, the suspect attempted to leave on a bicycle. As officers tried to arrest him, police chief Dorothy Todd said he took out a gun and shot at the officers multiple times.
Ritter was struck by gunfire and taken to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries. He had been in the department for four years.
“I ask the community: Keep our law enforcement members, men and women, in their prayers,” Todd said at a morning press conference “This is a really tough situation, and it’s hitting everyone really hard.”
Police say De'Lawnte Hardy, 24, has been charged with aggravated murder. He had been taken to the hospital out of precaution and cleared with no injuries.
Todd said there were several officers on scene as they knew it was a potentially violent individual they were looking for. She said they are not currently searching for any other suspects.
She said her police officers are out in the field every day and that they don’t get the recognition they deserve.
“They work hard. They risk their lives. They risk everything they have to protect the community. They care about the community. I hope that this is another time to show our support to our officers. They need it. They deserve it, and I think that some of this criticizing of them needs to go away, and they need to be recognized for the heroes that they are.”
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, who was also at the press conference, urged the public to uplift the men and women on the force this July Fourth holiday.
“We just ask the residents of Cleveland to pray for this family, pray for the men and women of our police department, especially as we celebrate this Fourth of July holiday and the freedom that we have in this country. That freedom depends on the men and women of our police department, not just in Cleveland, but all across the nation,” he said.
Andy Gasiewski, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolman's Association, said Ritter was “a good officer.”
"It's a loss for his family, a loss for law enforcement and a loss for the city of Cleveland," he said. "He was a good officer."
Ritter had just been named by the Cleveland Police Foundation as an officer of the month for May for his work, alongside Officer Brittany Vajusi, in helping gunshot victims in multiple instances and rescuing a man who had jumped in the Cuyahoga River.
According to a press release from Cleveland police, Ritter graduated in 2019 from Syracuse University. He was originally from Webster, New York, and graduated from McQuaid Jesuit High School in 2015.
He served with the 134th Field Artillery Regiment in the Ohio Army National Guard, where was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant. He had deployed to Syria in 2022, after he had joined Cleveland police, and he returned to the department when he came home in 2023.
His family, according to the release, states that he "possessed an innate understanding of selfless service to the nation and a strong desire to serve his community.”
"Today is a sad day for our city," Todd said in the release. "Ironically, on this day designated for freedom, we are reminded of the evil that tries to impose on our community. However, despite our pain and hurt, we take in the immense sacrifice Officer Ritter gave, and we will honor his memory and compassion. We will continue to carry his legacy in our hearts."
In a statement, Congresswoman Shontel Brown, OH-District 11, said she was “deeply saddened” by the loss of Ritter and that her prayers are with his loved ones and coworkers. She said he was someone who saved lives and helped people in need.
“It is beyond heartbreaking that we have lost an officer in the line of duty, a powerful and sober reminder of the risks that law enforcement officers take every day to protect us.”
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered flags lowered to half-staff on all public buildings and grounds in Cuyahoga County, at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center and Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus from Thursday until Officer Ritter's funeral.
"Fran and I offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter, who not only dedicated his life to protecting the citizens of Cleveland but also served his state and nation as a member of the Ohio National Guard," DeWine said in a statement. "On this Independence Day, this tragedy is a painful reminder of the sacrifices our law enforcement and military members make in support of freedom and public safety."
In a statement, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost called Ritter a "selfless hero who served his community with favor and dedicated his life to restraining evil."
"The loss of an officer on a day when we celebrate the many freedoms of our country is a cruel reminder of the price paid by those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our communities safe," he said.
Another Cleveland-area police officer was killed in May. Euclid Police Officer Jacob Derbin was shot and killed while responding to a call on May 11. He was 23 years old and had been with the department for less than a year. He had been responding to a disturbance call when investigators say he was ambushed by a gunman and struck by gunfire. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Click here to see a list of other Cleveland police officers who have died in the line of duty.