Homicide suspects in custody after chase, officer-involved shooting in northwest Ohio

HANCOCK COUNTY — The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a vehicle pursuit that ended in an officer-involved shooting and standoff in Hancock County.

On Saturday at approximately 3:37 p.m., officers with the Monroe Police Department in Michigan responded to the Highlander Market in the 1000 block of E. Front Street on the report of a person who had been shot, according to a spokesperson for the police department.

Officers were later advised that the suspects fled the scene in a Blue Ford F-150.

Upon arrival, officers discovered a 34-year-old male victim and a 31-year-old male victim, who both had been shot, the spokesperson said.

Medics transported the 34-year-old victim to an area hospital for life-threatening injuries. The 31-year-old victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

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Investigators on scene learned that the two suspects went into the Highlander Market, presented a weapon and robbed the business for an undisclosed amount of money.

Upon leaving the market, the two suspects forced the occupants of the blue Ford F-150, parked in front of the market, to get out of their vehicle, firing a shot at a witness standing near the truck, the spokesperson said. The witness was not struck and was uninjured.

The occupants of the truck got out of the vehicle, at which time, the suspects targeted both victims, shooting them both.

The 31-year-old victim was identified as Michael Ronald Beck, Jr. of Monroe, MI. The 34-year-old victim’s identity has not been released at this time.

At 7:40 p.m., the Ohio State Highway Patrol, along with deputies from the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, located the suspects wanted in connection with the carjacking and homicide, according to a spokesperson for OSP.

Troopers located the vehicle at a rest area near Bowling Green. The suspects fled the scene traveling southbound on Interstate 75. A pursuit ensued after Troopers initiated a traffic stop and the vehicle did not stop.

According to a spokesperson, the suspects shot at the pursuing officers multiple during the pursuit, and troopers returned fire.

The pursuit continued southbound on I-75 and exited onto state Route 15 into Hancock County. As the vehicle approached Township Road 240 it went off the right side of the road and struck a ditch.

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The suspects initially refused to comply with the troopers’ order to exit the vehicle, but the passenger eventually exited the vehicle and was taken into custody.

The driver was eventually taken into custody by the Patrol’s Special Response team, according to a spokesperson.

The passenger was identified as Ronnie L. Oliver, 44 of Ann Arbor, Mich., and was transported to an area hospital but was discharged and taken to the Hancock County jail. The driver was identified as Stephen M. Jones Jr., 29 of Monroe, Mich., and was flown to an area hospital for a gunshot wound.

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No officers were physically injured as a result of the incident.

The incident is still under investigation and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

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