DANVILLE, Ohio -- A police officer from Danville, Ohio, was shot and killed Sunday night, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol. The suspected gunman was arrested early Monday morning in connection to the officer's death.
Officials in Knox County have identified the Danville police officer killed in the line of duty as Thomas Cottrell, WCPO news partner WHIO reported Monday. Cottrell was found shot outside the Danville Municipal Building.
Reports say Cottrell went missing while on duty. State highway patrol issued a statewide alert after the officer and police cruiser went missing around midnight in the village located in Knox County.
Investigators found his hat, covered in blood, but could not find his patrol car. Cottrell was later found shot outside the Danville Municipal Building.
Two people, a male and a female, were apprehended by police before 2 a.m. Monday.
Herschel Jones III has been identified as the suspect in the shooting death of Cottrell, WHIO reported.
At around 11:20 p.m. Sunday, the dispatch center received a call from a female in Danville who said the police officers in Danville were in danger.
The caller said her ex-boyfriend, Herschel Ray Jones, had left with weapons and was looking to kill an officer, WHIO reports. Dispatch personnel attempted to make contact with the Danville officer, but were unsuccessful. Deputies from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office searched the village.
Shortly after 1:30 a.m. this morning, Jones III was observed running from a residence on E. Washington Street. After a short foot chase, Jones III was taken into custody by officers in the area of the Danville Park.
A female outside of the residence was interviewed by officers and later released.
Officers from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and B.C.I. are investigating the incident.
Danville is located some 50 miles Northeast of Columbus, Ohio, with a population just over 1,000 according to the 2010 census.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the Danville Police Officer who lost his life last night while... https://t.co/lODNQrtieG
— Fredericktown EMS (@FredEMS440) January 18, 2016
Thoughts and prayers to Danville police as on of their officers was killed in cold blood last night pic.twitter.com/DtU6vtN5bj
— Walhonding Valley FD (@wvfdff7) January 18, 2016
The Danville OH Police just got a New Chief of Police and they are a very Small Dept. https://t.co/rLZAi75bXe pic.twitter.com/JwXFhuo5ke
— Blue Alert (@BlueAlertUs) January 18, 2016
