Officers return fire against barricaded shooter in Middletown, authorities say

BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - At least one officer was involved in a shooting in Middletown on Monday, according to city officials.

Around 4 p.m., Middletown police say officers were called to a Park Lane apartment complex to “assist” in a well-being check.

An hour later, the situation “escalated” for unknown reasons, police explained.

A 29-year-old man barricaded himself in an apartment, which led to a SWAT standoff. The shooting happened during the standoff, according to Middletown Chief of Police David Birk.

The man shot at officers with a semi-automatic handgun. Officers returned fire and hit him at least once, according to Dan Hils, former Cincinnati police sergeant and president of Frontline Advisors Group.

Hils says officers on-scene were speaking with the suspect’s brother, who was cooperative with police, telling them that his brother is suicidal and had a gun.

“They were working on a plan to get him to come outside, whether that was going to be with tear gas or some other sort of agent,” Hils said. “They never got that opportunity, because it’s my understanding that the individual fired some shots at the SWAT officers.

No officers were injured, according to an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations spokesperson.

EMS transported the man to a hospital. His condition was upgraded Monday to fair with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the city manager.

Police say the suspect will be charged with assaulting a police officer once he is released from the hospital.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been requested by Chief Birk to investigate the officer-involved shooting.

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