Suspect in Nov. 11 officer-involved shooting indicted; BPD releases videos

Videos released by the Bucyrus Police Department on Tuesday show two officers responding as the driver of a silver Honda SUV opens fire at them during a traffic stop on Nov. 11.

In the footage, from badge and dashboard cameras, Bucyrus police Officer Devin Wireman returns fire, then rushes toward the suspect's vehicle, followed by Lt. Curt Bursby, the second-shift supervisor.

According to records from the Crawford County Common Pleas Court clerk's website, the suspect, Jacob Dan Davidson, 38, 15715 Sinkey Road, Centerburg, was indicted by a grand jury on Nov. 15 on charges of felonious assault, a first-degree felony; disrupting public services, a fourth-degree felony; improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; and discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises, a third-degree felony.

Officers fired uponCenterburg man arrested after shootout with Bucyrus police

No local officers or civilians were injured, nor was the suspect, Bucyrus police Capt. Tom Walker said in an email releasing the videos. No local residences were damaged. Davidson is considered a person of interest in Morrow County shooting incidents earlier on Nov. 11.

Wireman remains on administrative leave pending the full investigation, Walker said. He maybe able to return to duty in another week or so. Bursby did not discharge his firearm, so he is not on leave.

Bucyrus police were seeking a vehicle wanted in connection with those shootings in Morrow County when at 4:35 p.m. Wireman spotted a silver Honda SUV in the 100 block of East Charles Street.

Bucyrus Police Department videos show arrest, aftermath

The videos from Wireman's cruiser and badge cameras begin as the officer pulls up behind the SUV at the South Sandusky Avenue traffic light. Wireman is the department's K-9 handler; his partner, Capone, was in the back of the vehicle. Country music plays softly in the background as Wireman reports his location to a dispatcher.

"He's got a silver helmet on, a rifle in his lap, back window is busted out," he says. As he follows the suspect across the intersection, he asks for Bursby's location. "I don't want to stop him till I get to your post."

"I'm actually right behind you, at Sandusky," Bursby responds.

Wireman switches on his cruiser's lights, opens his door and prepares to stop the vehicle at Poplar and West Charles streets, but the SUV continues through the intersection. Wireman follows, the cruiser's siren on.

As the SUV approaches South Spring Street, it stops. Wireman jumps out, then shouts, "He's pulling a gun!"

Flashes are visible inside the SUV as two shots are fired out the back window.

In response, Wireman moves around the back of his cruiser and fires multiple times, then rushes toward the vehicle, weapon pointed. The SUV appears to drift forward.

"Don't you (expletive) move!" Wireman shouts. Bursby follows, also shouting.

Wireman goes to the passenger's side of the SUV, Bursby to the driver's side. Wireman warns the suspect he will be shot if he moves.

"Yessir, yessir," the suspects answers repeatedly.

"Do you want to (expletive) die? What the (expletive) are you doing?" Wireman shouts.

"Look; here's my hands," the suspect says. "Look." He says he was aiming for the tires.

Swearing, Wireman drags the suspect out of the SUV. "I'm not (expletive) playing with you."

"My quarrel's not with you guys, OK," the suspect mumbles.

As the two officers handcuff the man, Bursby asks, "Did he shoot at you?"

"Yeah, he (expletive) shot at me," Wireman replies.

"The tires, man, the tires."

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Bursby reports to dispatch that they have one in custody. Less than a minute and 20 seconds have passed since Wireman initiated the traffic stop.

Wireman accuses the suspect of trying to kill him. "Good job."

"I wasn't trying to kill you, man," the suspect replies.

"You're shooting at us, you're trying to kill us," Wireman answers.

"The tires, man, the tires," he answers.

Wireman responds: "You shot right at me..."

"You hit me in the helmet, the (expletive) head. That's a motorcycle helmet, to boot," the suspect says. "So you're a better shot than me."

Another law enforcement officer, who appears to be Crawford County Sheriff Scott Kent, walks up to where the two are making the arrest.

Wireman informs suspect of his rights

As Wireman rolls the suspect onto his back and begins patting him down, he asks if he had been shooting at people out in the county. The man denies doing so.

"You have the right to remain silent," Wireman says. "Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney; if you can't afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you by the courts. You have the right to stop speaking at any time. Do you understand your rights?"

The man nods.

"Did you serve in the Marines?"

"Yessir."

"What the (expletive), man," Wireman replies.

"It's not with you guys, man; it's not with you guys."

Wireman accuses the man of trying to kill him, but the suspect again replies he was shooting at the cruiser's tires.

The two officers lift the suspect off the ground and walk him toward Wireman's cruiser.

"Just upholding the (expletive) Constitution, man, that's all," the suspect says.

"I don't think so, man," Wireman replies.

"I am. You don't even know what I'm (expletive) doing, man."

"You just (expletive) shot at me."

"The (expletive) tire, man. I'm just — you ever been in (expletive) combat, man?"

"I'm a (expletive) cop in Bucyrus, brother," Wireman says, walking to the other side of the cruiser. "I shot at him, lieutenant."

After the suspect is in the cruiser, Wireman walks away, clearly overcome with emotion.

Another officer tells him to take deep breaths, and has him sit on a nearby front porch. At one point, Wireman calls a loved one to say he's OK. He gets his K-9 partner, Capone, out of the cruiser and sits with him a while.

Bursby's videos show him radioing into dispatch, requesting additional personnel at the scene. Kent suggests blocking off the street.

Bursby then calls in while inspecting the suspect's vehicle.

"He's got two rifles in the car," he says. He's told the suspect's vehicle does not exactly match the description of the vehicle wanted in connection with the Morrow County incident, which was reported at 4:16 p.m.

Investigation into incident continues

According to previous police reports, a subsequent search of the SUV yielded two rifles, magazines and ammunition, and the silver helmet with a single bullet hole in it. The driver-side headrest had a thick block of wood attached for what appeared to be added protection for the suspect.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the investigation into the shooting, Walker said previously. The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and Bucyrus EMS assisted at the scene.

Walker said that when watching the video, it's easy to miss how close Wireman came to getting shot.

"If he wasn't thinking quick and didn't get back behind his vehicle and behind that engine block and start returning fire, who knows," Walker said, crediting Wireman for his actions.

"I think Officer Wireman did a spectacular job. ... To return fire and bring that to an end that quickly is absolutely unbelievable. And nobody get hurt. And no damage. It's unbelievable."

ggoble@gannett.com

419-559-7263

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Bucyrus police release videos from Nov. 11 shooting