Armed robbery suspect fatally shot by Elyria police after forcing family into apartment
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0:00 - Armored truck robbery
1:23 - Chase
6:21 - Doorbell camera
7:29 - Shooting officer
8:31 - Backup officer
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North Olmsted, OH - The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner released the name of the man fatally shot by Elyria police officers Wednesday after an armed robbery, chase, and hostage situation.
The medical examiner identified him as John Johnson, 37, of Lorain.
Johnson is accused of leading multiple police agencies on a high-speed chase after a robbery outside the Elyria AT&T store on West River Road North involving a Brink’s truck.
The chase ended outside a North Olmsted apartment complex, where Johnson allegedly took a family hostage just before an Elyria officer shot him.
According to a news release, police were dispatched to the store at 3:02 p.m. Wednesday after Johnson allegedly forced the driver into the armored truck, stole an undisclosed amount of cash, and fled in a separate vehicle.
Police identified the vehicle, and it was quickly spotted in Lorain.
That’s when Elyria police and other agencies initiated a chase, which went into Elyria.
The suspect eventually got onto Route 20 eastbound (Center Ridge Road) and continued into North Olmsted, according to the release.
Elyria police said the suspect had no regard for the safety of motorists and pedestrians, with speeds reaching over 100 MPH.
The pursuit ended at Columbia and Brookpark roads in North Olmsted when officers deployed stop sticks.
Johnson exited the vehicle and ran to a nearby apartment complex on Clareshire Drive, where police said he took a woman and her four children hostage at gunpoint and forced them into her apartment.
The apparent hostage situation was captured on doorbell camera footage.
Seconds after Johnson got inside, the video shows an Elyria officer catch up to and shoot him.
“He’s a hero. This was a serious situation from the start,” Elyria Police Chief James Welsh said about the officer. “It was a violent crime, a kidnapping, a robbery, the officers pursued the suspect, and prevented him from harming anyone else.”
There are no reported injuries to officers or civilians.
Officers recovered a gun believed to belong to Johnson at the scene, according to the release.