Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Cincinnati Police release details about fatal officer involved shooting

Three separate investigations are underway after Cincinnati police officers were involved in a deadly shooting incident Wednesday afternoon in Clifton.  

The situation started with a 911 call from a mental health care provider.  The caller requested officers respond to Clifton and Ludlow Avenues for a person with mental health issues who had a gun.

Interim Police Chief Paul Humphries said 5 officers eventually encountered 32-year-old Roger Ramundo on the back deck of Arlin's Bar and Restaurant on Ludlow near Clifton.  

He said they tried to calm him down, but he became combative and it became a violent struggle.  Humphries said during the fight, Ramundo fired his gun once and Police Officer Bryan Gabel ended the situation with two gun shots.

“These officers did everything humanly possible to not have to go to deadly force,” Humphries said.  “It’s very unfortunate, but the actions of Mr. Ramundo dictated the officers actions.  They did everything they could, there were 2 deployments of a Taser, there was hands on wrestling with a person who was armed with a gun.  When that shot was fired, Officer Gabel made a decision that he had to do something to stop this threat.”

Humphries also said besides the gun, the man had extra ammunition, a can of mace and a large knife.

“We’ll never know what the plan was, if there was a plan,” Humphries said.  “We’ll never know what could have happened had the officers not acted so appropriately, so quickly.  This is a tragedy, it could have been a lot worse had the officers not acted heroically and acted within the scope of their training.”

The five officers involved in the shooting incident are on paid administrative leave, which is the usual procedure following such incidents.  
 

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.