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WEBVTT -- IS SEVERE. THE CORONER’S PRELIMINARY FINDING MATCHES WHAT THE SILENT GRIEF OF THURSDAY’S TRAGIC DISCOVERY IN EDEN PARK SUGGESTED. A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD AND NECK AREA THAT APPEARS TO BE SELF-INFLICTED. SOME FRIENDS OF SERGEANT ART SCHULTZ SAY THEY SENSED NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY DURING RECENT EMAILS AND INTERACTIONS. SOME OF THEM ARE WITH THE HOMICIDE UNIT AND CRIMINALISTICS. THOUGH HEARTBROKEN AND CONFUSED, THEY HAD TO SECURE EVIDENCE AND CONDUCT THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION. >> IT MAKES FOR A VERY DRAINING AND DIFFICULT TIME. REPORTER: SERGEANT DAN HILS KNEW SCHULTZ AND KNOWS WHAT THE JOB DEMANDS. >> YOU CONDITION YOURSELF TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THINGS AN YOU SEE A LOT OF THINGS AND YOU PUT UP THOSE SHIELDS. AND THEN YOU HAVE A DAY LIKE THAT WHERE IT AFFECTS ONE OF YOUR OWN, ONE OF YOUR POLICE FAMILY, AND THAT SHIELD COMES DOWN AND IT COMES DOWN PRETTY QUICKLY. REPORTER: THERE IS PROBABLY NO WAY TO TRULY CONVENE THE TRAUMA OF A SCENE LIKE THIS ONE. SCHULTZ WAS ABOUT TO TURN 55 AND COMES FROM A BIG FAMILY. HIS WIFE IS ALSO A POLICE OFFICER. ACROSS HIS 28 YEARS ON THE FORCE, HE WORKED SWAT AND THE VICE UNIT AND MANY A DANGEROUS STREET UNDERCOVER. >> THE BAD GUYS, THE GUYS THAT HAD DOPE AND GUNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY DIDN’T WANT TO CROSS PATHS WITH SERGEANT SCHULTZ. REPORTER: WE ARE TOLD IT IS NATURAL IN THE WAKE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO QUESTION WHETHER WARNING SIGNS WERE MISSED. BISHOP HILTON’S FIRST CALL AS A CHAPLAIN 20 YEARS AGO WAS FOR THE FAMILY OF AN OFFICER WHO TOOK HIS LIFE IN HIS BACK YARD. >> AND I ASK EVERYONE TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO GIVE LOVE AW TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER BECAUSE THIS REALLY HURTS. REPORTER: SERGEANT HILLS SAYS HE WANTS THE FAMILY TO KNOW SCHULTZ WAS GREATLY ADMIRED FOR THE POLICE WORK HE DID MUCH OF IT, PLACING HIM AT HIGH DANGER TIME AND TIME AGA

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There was an official finding Friday in the death of a veteran Cincinnati police officer in Eden Park.The coroner's preliminary finding matched what the silent grief of Thursday's tragic discovery suggested.Here is an email statement from the coroner this afternoon:"The Hamilton County Coroner's Office has completed the autopsy on Arthur Schultz;preliminary findings indicate a single gunshot wound to the head and neck area that appears to be self-inflicted."Lab testing is being performed during the course of this investigation."We at the Hamilton County Coroner's Office wish to convey our condolences to the Schultz family."There is no other information at this moment and there will be no further statements at this time."Some friends of the 54-year-old Schultz say they sensed nothing out of the ordinary during recent emails and interactions.Some of them are with the homicide unit and criminalistics.Though heartbroken and confused, they had to secure evidence and conduct the on-scene investigation."It makes for a very draining and difficult time," said Sgt. Dan Hils, who knew Schultz and knows what the job demands."You condition yourself to deal with a lot of things and you see a lot of things and you put up those shields," explained Hils. "And then you have a day like that where it affects one of your own, one of your police family, and that shield comes down and it comes down pretty quickly."Schultz comes from a big family. His wife is also a police officer.Across his 28 years on the force, he worked SWAT and the vice unit and many a dangerous street undercover."The bad guys, the guys that had dope and guns and things like that, they didn't want to cross paths with Sgt. Schultz," said Hils.We are told it is natural in the wake of something like this to question whether warning signs were missed.Bishop Bobby Hilton's first call as a chaplain 20 years ago was for the family of an officer who took his own life in his backyard.Schultz was known and regarded for his plainclothes work in vice, a supervisor who prided himself on fitness and dangerous duty."We never know what could've been happening," said Hilton.With Christmas approaching, he asked citizens to go out of their way to show appreciation for police and the job they do."The stress level to most of us is unimaginable," he said. "Every day. Every day there's a level of stress and when that call comes out you never know what's happening next."Responding officers did not know around 12:30 on Thursday afternoon until they got to Twin Lakes what was coming at them next."He was a very, very fine police officer," said Hils. "He was a fine supervisor and he was just very, very well-respected and I want them to know and be consoled even if it's just a little bit by that." Visitation will be held on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at at Spring Grove Cemetery’s Norman Chapel.FOP services will be at 12:45 p.m. and funeral services will follow at 1 p.m.Police have asked that the family's privacy be respected.