MIAMISBURG, OH — An off-duty police officer has been cleared of all wrongdoing by a grand jury in the shooting of a fleeing armed robbery suspect earlier this month, according to WHIO-TV.
The wounded, delinquent robber was trying to carjack multiple vehicles at gunpoint to make his getaway. By all accounts, the officer involved was a hero.
As WHIO-TV reports:
Officer James Swearingen was not indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury for his Feb. 5 actions in wounding a 17-year-old Dayton suspect who may face adult charges, according to the Miamisburg Police Department.
The decision was announced Friday.
“Officer Swearingen took immediate action and attempted to stop the armed teen, which led to an exchange of gunfire,” according to a statement released Friday afternoon by Miamisburg Sgt. Jeff Muncy. “The armed robber was struck twice and was ultimately secured and taken to the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.”
The shooting case was presented to a grand jury on Thursday and Swearingen “was cleared of any wrongdoing,” according to Muncy’s statement. “The incident itself remains under investigation, and the case is currently pending court action/disposition.”
Miami Twp. Police Chief Ron Hess said via email “we’re pleased with the decision of the Montgomery County Grand Jury and want to thank the Miamisburg Police Department for their investigation into this incident.”…
Swearingen twice shot the teen in the right arm as the suspect was seeking to carjack several vehicles after the suspect’s stolen vehicle broke down shortly after robbing a Shell station in heavy traffic near Ohio 725 and Interstate 75 interchange, Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias Heck, Jr. has said. Heck said Swearingen arrived on the scene as the suspect was fleeing, identified himself as a police officer, ordered the teen to drop his .45-caliber gun and shot him when the suspect failed to comply.
In other words, Officer Swearingen saved lives on February 5.
An off-duty police officer is never really off-duty — they’re incredible, powerful resources in the communities around them.
Take time to thank a law-enforcement officer today for all they do.
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