Funeral arrangements have been announced for two Westerville Police officers shot to death over the weekend.
The services for 39-year-old Eric Joering and 54-year-old Anthony Morelli will be held Friday at St. Paul Catholic Church in Westerville. The City of Westerville will livestream the service.
The officers were shot while responding to a 9-1-1 call at a townhome Saturday afternoon.
Quentin Smith, 30, faces two preliminary charges of aggravated murder. He was also shot and is hospitalized. He hasn't had a hearing yet and it's unclear if an attorney has been appointed.
Smith, a felon with a history of burglary and domestic violence, was not permitted to have a gun. Authorities also arrested a Cleveland man accused of providing Smith with the gun used to shoot the officers.
Westerville Police Chief Joe Morbitzer said Tuesday that plans have been made for Joering's police dog to remain with his widow and daughters.
A fundraiser run by the Fraternal Order Of Police Lodge #9 to support Joering’s and Morelli’s families has already passed $400,000 after just three days.
“We feel loved and blessed, and we are appreciative of the outpouring of support,” the families said in a statement on Tuesday. “We have seen and heard so much from people who have shared stories about how our men impacted their lives.”
The families requested privacy and say they need time to heal.
