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MARIETTA – Already armed with his own gun, 19-year Beverly resident Tyler Gerken stole a rifle from a deputy’s car and opened fire on officers before he was shot and killed near his home Aug. 20, according to information from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office released Wednesday.
Gerken was armed with his own 9-mm shotgun when he managed to obtain a rifle from an unlocked deputy’s vehicle while officers attempted to locate him around the area of his home.
“It appeared to us that he was hunting, shouldering the weapon and walking around, looking for an officer,” said Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks. “We kept asking him to put his weapon down.”
Mincks held a press conference Wednesday afternoon and revealed new details in the case of the officer-involved shooting between Gerken and six officers during the morning of Aug. 20.
Shortly before 9 a.m. that day, Gerken placed a 911 call and stated that he was by the garage of his 125 Fair Ave. home in Beverly and requested assistance without stating what was wrong. He cried throughout the call and did not answer the dispatcher’s questions.
Sheriff’s office Major Brian Schuck previously noted that an officer safety information bulletin was released in July indicating that Gerken may have been stockpiling ammunition and a firearm.
Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy William Johnson, along with Beverly Police Chief Mark Sams, responded and knocked on the door, but upon receiving no answer, were given permission from Lt. Randy Stackpole to enter the home.
“They both made entry, they went in and they found a lady asleep in one of the bedrooms, and it was (his mother), and they talked to her,” Mincks said. “At that time we observed a man outside with a shotgun.”
Both officers and Gerken’s mother made repeated attempts to urge Gerken to put down the gun, repeatedly stating that they were there to help.
Mincks said Gerken then moved around to the other side of the house.
“During that time, Gerken managed to enter Johnson’s cruiser and rummaged around before obtaining an AR-15 from the vehicle,” Mincks said.
The gun was in the trunk, he said.
Mincks said upon hearing that Gerken was armed, several officers chose to respond, including Stackpole, Deputy Bryan Reeder, Capt. Troy Hawkins, Lt. Brad Thorpe and Lt. Timothy Lockhart.
Thorpe and Lockhart were already in the area attempting to locate a missing 2-year-old in an unrelated incident.
The officers then took different sides of the street and areas around the house to monitor Gerken, who continued to move around the area. Mincks reported that during the exchange, Gerken repeatedly yelled “kill me” to officers while they attempted to calm him down.
“Hawkins approached, and repeatedly asked him to put his weapon down, and that was when he shot (at Hawkins),” Mincks said. “At that time, both Hawkins and Lockhart returned fire, and he was down.”
As officers came within 20 feet of Gerken, who had fallen with the rifle still in his hands, Gerken raised himself up enough to fire again at Lockhart, the sheriff said.
Stackpole, Hawkins, Lockhart and Thorpe returned fire and brought Gerken down again. Reeder was able to kick the gun away and handcuff him.
“There was a Beverly squad in the area that attempted to give him first aid, but he was pronounced deceased at the scene,” Mincks said.
Mincks noted that he is not sure of the exact length of time over which the exchange took place, but said that it was very brief.
The Ohio Attorney General Office’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation immediately took over the case and will be going through all evidence, including autopsy and other reports, to thoroughly investigate the actions of the officers involved.
As a result, all six officers – Hawkins, Thorpe, Lockhart, Reeder, Stackpole and Johnson – were put on paid administrative leave and were required to undergo counseling.
All six were recently cleared for duty and returned to work at the end of last week.
Mincks offered his condolences to Gerken’s family Wednesday, in addition to the families of the officers involved.
“We’re all glad to have them back at work,” Schuck said. “But they all have to move on from this, and everyone moves on in different ways.”
Representatives from BCI declined to comment further on the matter as the investigation is ongoing.
Gerken’s stepfather, Roy Johnson, stated Wednesday that the family did not wish to speak about the incident at this time.