What led to the death of the Cleveland officer?

Ed Gallek and Peggy Gallek

5 mins ago

CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team dug into the investigation to find out more about what happened before the fatal shooting of Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter.

We also found out more about what happened the last time police arrested the suspect.

Delawnte Hardy appeared in court Friday morning to face charges of aggravated murder.

Police radio recordings captured the hectic moments after the shooting, including the urgent words of an officer telling dispatch: “Shots fired, shots fired!”

Now we have learned new details about what led to this.

Early Thursday morning, Cleveland police received a call saying they had found Hardy in a home on the city’s east side.

Hardy was wanted in connection with a shooting in Garfield Heights.

Records show that Cleveland police received a warning that Hardy was “armed and dangerous,” had “violent tendencies” and was “known to be schizophrenic.”

Police said several officers were on site to make the arrest.

Radio messages show officers saying, “The patrol car is right there at the corner of 80th Street and Wade Park. Try giving verbal commands again,” and “Do you see any movement in the window?”

You also hear: “Go to the loudspeaker and give him verbal commands. Come outside with your hands raised.”

But then an officer on site reports: “Man comes out through the back door.”

According to records, the suspect exited the home through the back door, grabbed a bicycle and ran. A confrontation with officers and a struggle for a weapon ensued.

Further police radio data shows that an officer reports: “The man is not letting go of the weapon. We have him on the ground.”

Moments later, Officer Ritter was shot and taken to the hospital.

The police then made urgent calls over the radio: “The emergency services have been instructed to speed up the operation,” and “Radio, we are loading him into the back of the zone car.”

A police report shows Cleveland police had another violent confrontation with Hardy last December. Police say he broke into a home and it took four officers to arrest him.

Police found a sports bag with Hardy’s ID as well as two knives and two swords.

The case was later dismissed because Hardy was declared unfit to stand trial.

He is currently in prison as the accused of murdering a police officer.

Officer Ritter had just received the Officer of the Month award for the way he handled a number of calls, including one in which he provided first aid to a man being pulled from the Cuyahoga River.

Now the community must say goodbye to a fallen hero.