Barricaded man shot, killed by Tiffin police

5/31/2009

TIFFIN - Police shot and killed a man inside his home early Saturday after he pointed a loaded revolver at officers, authorities said.

Benjamin A. Grimes, 30, of 194 East Perry St. was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital of Tiffin shortly after the 3:22 a.m. shooting.

Officers were called to the East Perry Street address at 1:53 a.m. on a report of a man breaking in to the residence.

When they arrived, Mr. Grimes confronted them and barricaded himself inside with at least two weapons, police said.

Two of the responding officers were trained crisis intervention counselors and established communication with Mr. Grimes through a rear window.

They spoke with him for almost 90 minutes in an effort to persuade him to surrender, authorities said, but Mr. Grimes' mental state deteriorated, and a decision was made to end the standoff.

Members of the police department's special response team broke through a barricaded side door and encountered Mr. Grimes pointing the revolver at them.

The officers opened fire, striking him several times.

Police said that Mr. Grimes had been taken to Mercy Hospital for mental evaluation Friday night after threatening to harm himself. He was released to the custody of a friend at 1:24 a.m.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation will investigate the shooting.

The officer who fired the fatal shot has been placed on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation.