3 killed, including 2 children, in a Fulton County domestic dispute-turned-standoff

Swanton police line a county road in a standoff that started early this morning in Fulton County.

SWANTON Three people, including two children, died today at an eastern Fulton County home, and two others were wounded in what started as a domestic dispute and became a hostage standoff, authorities said.

The three dead Jack Saunders, 58, and two children, 5-year-old Jacob and 10-year-old Lauren, who was a fourth-grader at Lial school in Whitehouse died at 1871 County Road E near County Road 2 in Swancreek Township, according to law enforcement authorities.

Authorities received an ambulance call from there at about 7:10 a.m. today about a woman, named Patricia, who had been stabbed, and Fulton County sheriff's deputy Rick Brock, who was shot.

Swanton police line a county road in a standoff that started early this morning in Fulton County.

The woman was apparently stabbed during a domestic dispute, and Deputy Brock, who responded to the scene, was shot by an unidentified male suspect, a sheriff's office spokesman said.

Patricia and Deputy Brock were taken by ambulance to nearby Memorial Park in Swanton, where they were placed aboard LifeFlight helicopters and transported to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, where they made it through surgery earlier today.

A family baby sitter named Abby Kolodziejczyk identified the dead male as Mr. Saunders and said he was a college professor in agriculture, she said. The babysitter is a 21-year-old graduate of Defiance College.

A next-door neighbor said Mr. Saunders was a retired part-time professor of environmental controls at the University of Findlay who stayed home and took care of the children, while Mrs. Saunders has several businesses.

Swanton officers at the scene of the shooting console a relative.

Mrs. Saunders keeps several horses on the property.

The neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said she did not know the family well but had spoken to Mr. Saunders, waved to Patricia Saunders, and sometimes gave candy to the children.

"They were a nice family as far as I know," said the woman, who described herself as older. "He just raised those kids. He was a good father. I can't believe that. He took very good care of those kids. I'm in shock."

She said she was not aware of any trouble in the home.

Gill Ramirez, whose children know the children in the house, said the dead youngsters were supposed to be attending a horse show competition this morning but did not show.

Lucas County Coroner's deputy Steve Kahle said that the three bodies would transported to Lucas County by late afternoon. He confirmed that three were dead at the scene.

"We're getting three of the victims," he said. "The autopsies will be done tomorrow. [Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation] is out there processing the scene."

A state BCI unit arrived at the scene about 11:45 a.m.

Dozens of deputies from Fulton, Lucas, and Henry counties as well as troopers from the Ohio Highway Patrol and other police and fire agencies are on the scene. Roadways in the area are closed for a half-mile or more.

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