Person dies in deputy-related shooting; Wadsworth High School placed on lockdown

A person was shot Saturday night by sheriff's deputies in Wadsworth in a case that is still under investigation.

At around 8 p.m., the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a man, 44, who was making suicidal statements. Further information provided to Wayne County told safety forces that the individual had expressed suicidal thoughts in the past and was currently armed with a firearm and saying he is “ready for them,” referring to law enforcement. Wayne County’s investigation led to the Wadsworth Police Department being notified of the individual driving near Wadsworth.

At around 9:11 p.m., deputies from the Medina County Sheriff's office were brought in to assist the Wadsworth Police and the Wayne County Sheriff's office, according to the Medina County Sheriff's office.

Initial information received by the safety forces led deputies to believe that the person may have been armed and was threatening "suicide by cop."

Suicide by cop, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation , is when someone deliberately places themselves or others at grave risk to compel the use of deadly force by police officers or other safety forces. Wadsworth Police and Wadsworth City School officials placed Wadsworth High School on lockdown during the school’s homecoming as a precautionary measure.

At a little after 10 p.m., the person's vehicle was spotted on Silvercreek Road in Wadsworth, according to the Medina Sheriff's Department. Shortly after the vehicle was stopped near Madison Trail, the man exited the vehicle and pointed a loaded rifle at the deputies. Two deputies with the Medina County Sheriff's department, both 3-year veterans, engaged the suspect and fired their service weapons. The man died at the scene after life-saving measures were attempted by law enforcement and EMS.

The investigation has been turned over to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which could not be reached for comment on Sunday. The Medina County coroner's office referred comments to the Ohio BCI or the Medina County Sheriff's Department.

Students and adults at the Wadsworth homecoming dance that evening had been placed under temporary lockdown at the high school due to a belief that the individual was heading there. However, further investigation found there was never a threat directed at Wadsworth High School or any participants at the event.

This story was updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Person dies in deputy-related shooting; Wadsworth High School placed on lockdown