Officers killed in Westerville were responding to a 'tactical nightmare'

Westerville officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering were walking into a "tactical nightmare" on Saturday when they were gunned down in a suburban apartment complex, according to one police official.

Domestic violence calls are some of the most dangerous for police officers, said Cincinnati police Sgt. Dan Hils, president of Cincinnati's police union.

"When you're talking about dealing with family, that's when people can be at their most defensive," Hils said.

He said in Cincinnati two officers are required to respond to domestic violence or family trouble calls for safety. One officer can provide cover to the other, and the two officers can split up arguing parties.

"You’re walking into someone else’s home, someone else’s castle, so to speak,” Hils said. "They know the lay of the land. Even exiting from the car... they know where you are, and you don't know where they are in the house.

"You have to tread lightly," he said.

Morelli and Joering are the 14th and 15th Ohio law enforcement officer to be intentionally shot and killed in the state in the past decade, according to Officer Down Memorial Page, a non-profit organization that maintains a database of fallen officers dating back more than 100 years.

On Oct. 21 last year, Girard police officer Justin Leo was responding to a domestic disturbance. He was shot and killed by the suspect. Another officer returned fire killing the man.

Kirkersville Police Chief Steven Eric Disario was killed outside a nursing home on May 12 last year by a man who went on to kill his girlfriend inside the home and an employee who worked there. The shooter took his own life.

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In January 2011, Clark County Deputy Sheriff Suzanne Hopper responded to a report of gunfire from inside a trailer. While investigating outside, a man opened the trailer door and fired a shotgun killing Hopper. The suspect was killed in the following shootout with law enforcement.

Hils recalled an older case. In 1997, two Cincinnati police officers, Daniel Pope and Ronald Jeter, were serving a warrant for domestic violence.

The officers had entered Alonzo Davenport's apartment in plain clothes, but as soon as the Davenport realized they were police he shot one of them in the back of the head, according to police reports.

A struggle broke out, but Davenport was able to fire again, shooting the second officer in the back of the head as well. Both officers were found with their sidearms still in their holsters. Davenport was killed by a responding officer.

Hils was working that night and carried Jeters body from the apartment on a stretcher.

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"It’s going to be a long long time before the pain dulls,” Hils said of the families and friends of the Westerville officers. "You literally take it, not only one day at a time, but one hour at a time, one minute at a time. It’s survival minute by minute when you’re under that type of grief.”

To the community, Hils said a simple "thank you" goes a long way. After Cincinnati Officer Sonny Kim was shot and killed in June 2015, he said the community showed its appreciation in many ways, even anonymously paying for meals at restaurants.

“That meant a lot more to my heart and soul than it meant to my pocketbook," Hils said. "Simple two words: Thank you. It means so so much.”

The Officer Down Memorial Page has a record of 853 in-the-line of duty deaths in Ohio. About half of those deaths were the result of intentional gunfire.

Morelli and Joering mark the first two in-the-line-duty deaths for the Westerville Division of Police.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 9, which covers Westerville, set up a GoFundMe campaign to assist the fallen officers family. On Monday, it had raised more than $300,000.