Fort Shawnee Police Chief Benjamin Kehres speaks at a press conference in the wake of a fatal shooting involving one of his department’s officers.

A Fort Shawnee police officer shot and killed a 20-year-old man following a traffic stop gone bad. Chief Benjamin Kehres held a press conference to release a few of the details.

Check out the video: Lima News video by BOB BLAKE.

Man shot, killed after assaulting Fort Shawnee cop

By BOB BLAKE

FORT SHAWNEE — A traffic stop turned deadly early Saturday after a man attacked a Fort Shawnee police officer with a knife.

Police Chief Benjamin Kehres said officers noticed a vehicle driving erratically and attempted a traffic stop around 3 a.m. Saturday in the 100 block of Olentangy Drive in the Indian Village Mobile Home Park, south of Breese Road and east of Interstate 75.

“Officers approached the vehicle and an altercation ensued between the subject and officers. The subject tried to leave the scene in his vehicle,” Kehres said. “The subject, armed with a knife, got out of his vehicle and engaged in a physical altercation with officers. The subject was tased numerous times, which had no effect.”

Kehres said the altercation escalated and John T. Sowders, 20, of Cridersville, assaulted an officer, cutting his hand with the knife. An officer shot Sowders once in the chest, Kehres said. Sowders was taken to St. Rita’s Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The officer who was injured also was taken to St. Rita’s Medical Center, where he was treated and released, Kehres said. Kehres said it is anticipated in the injured officer will need a week to recover from his injury.

“I stand behind our officers in the job they do,” Kehres said. “I have every confidence that they acted appropriately in the situation. Unfortunately, a young man is dead.”

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation has been called in to handle the investigation. Kehres said that, at the state officials’ request, the names of the officers involved in the incident are being withheld until sometime next week.

“Whenever there is a loss of life, we must and will conduct a complete and exhaustive investigation. To do anything less would be a disservice to the community and the family,” Kehres said. “We will be as open and forthcoming with the information as we can. However, there are limits to what we can release while the matter is being reviewed.”

Kehres said the officer who fired the shot has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an independent investigation by the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

Sowders has no previous run-ins with law enforcement in Allen or Auglaize counties, according to a search of online court records.

Published in The Lima News: Jan. 16, 2011