The man who police say shot and injured two Mifflin Township police officers last week remains hospitalized in critical condition, but is stable, after he was arrested on Friday evening.
Daveonte Dixon, 21, allegedly shot the two officers after a traffic stop on May 28 and led police on a multi-day manhunt around the Columbus area. That search ended Friday evening when police said they traced Dixon to an Obetz apartment complex in the 4300 block of Thelma Drive where he barricaded himself inside and fired multiple rounds from a rifle at police while children were nearby.
Authorities held a press conference Monday to update the public on Dixon's arrest. Police said they found Dixon in the apartment with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and neck area. No others were reported injured.
With the manhunt ended and Dixon in custody, police are now focusing on pulling together all the evidence in the case. Dixon is charged with attempted murder and felonious assault.
Franklin County Sheriff's Office Major Nate Smith said Dixon will face additional charges for firing his weapon at police on Friday.
Police have also charged 31-year-old Jayla Call with obstructing justice and tampering with evidence for allegedly harboring Dixon in her Obetz apartment complex and deleting text messages between herself and Dixon's girlfriend.
Michael Black, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, talked about the rash of recent shootings in central Ohio involving officers, including the Memorial Day shooting that killed Morrow County Sheriff's Deputy Daniel Sherrer.
"Unfortunately, we have been tested several times in the last few months with the acts of violence against officers and our community," Black said. "Each time, our relationships, collaboration and sharing of resources and information enable us to work through these highly, extremely volatile situations."
Black expressed his thoughts and prayers for Sherrer's family and to the officers and family members of the two unidentified Mifflin Township police officers.
"For those that choose to use violence against one of our law enforcement family, know this, we will not stop until you are apprehended and brought to justice," Black said.
Mifflin Township Police Chief David Briggs said the two officers are still recovering. One officer was discharged from the hospital last week. The other officer has undergone three surgeries.
"While the road ahead will take time, we are grateful to report that their condition is stable and their resilience has been nothing short of inspiring," Briggs said.
Police did not say where Dixon got the rifle he was found with at the Obetz apartment complex or whether the handgun he allegedly used to shoot the two Mifflin Township officers had a glock switch. Dixon previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge for owning a gun with a glock switch — a device that turns a semi-automatic weapon into an automatic weapon.
Smith said the investigation found Dixon fled the traffic stop on foot, evading more than 100 police officers who arrived at the scene. Smith said Dixon fled to multiple different addresses, staying "one step ahead" of police until officers found him in Obetz.
Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin commended police for not firing a single shot during the entire search for Dixon. The two Mifflin Township police also did not fire their weapons at Dixon.
"It shows the restraint and the training that we go through to protect the community. There were a number of families, kids, just people in the area of Obetz when Mr. Dixon decided to fire random shots. He didn't care about hurting anybody in the community," Baldwin said.
Baldwin also joined criticism of decisions made by Franklin County judges and prosecutors in Dixon's previous convictions. Dixon pleaded guilty last year to multiple felonies, including aggravated burglary, but prosecutors only recommended 36 months of community control, which Judge Kim Brown granted.
Baldwin said there's a lot of people who do deserve a break or a second chance, but nonviolent offenders aren't the problem.
"It's the violent people that we worry about. It's people that demonstrate that they are violent, they have past violent crimes, yet they come back out. That's the concern. We know that's the danger," Baldwin said.
Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge #9 President Brian Steel repeated his criticism of Dixon's previous plea agreement and said he hopes judges and Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor make changes after the Mifflin Township shooting.
Police said the public was very supportive of Mifflin Township after the shooting and helpful to police in their search for Dixon. Authorities did not say whether the $40,000 reward offered by Central Ohio Crimestoppers, the FOP and the FBI will be given out.
