Bodycam Shows Hostage Situation that Left Ohio Officer Wounded

Feb. 15, 2024
In the dramatic footage, a 29-year-old Ontario police officer is shot and wounded when he tries to rescue a woman being held at gunpoint.

Body camera footage released by an Ohio police department captured the moments when an officer was shot and wounded trying to rescue a hostage being held by gunpoint.

The incident involving Ontario police happened Sunday when officers responded to a call concerning an armed man—identified as Jareth Vance, 32—who was allegedly violating a protective order, WBNS-TV reports. In the bodycam footage, officers are seen approaching an apartment with weapons drawn. 

As children fled down the driveway and others came out of the house, Vance can be seen putting a gun to a woman's head. When Officer Dylan Bailey, 29, tells the suspect to drop his weapon, Vance opens fire, and Bailey falls to the ground after being struck.

“When I watched this (video), my heart sank because this is the worst situation. You never want your officers to be involved,” said Police Chief Tommy Hill during a briefing Monday.

The officer was rushed to the hospital and was in stable condition. The woman held at gunpoint also was shot and wounded when she tried to break free from Vance, and she's expected to recover.

“After (Bailey) got a tourniquet on his left leg, he asked the officers to lift him up to where he could get his rifle in the car and point it at the front door, so he could protect everyone that was there," said Hill, who called the officer a hero.

Following the shooting, Vance barricaded himself inside an apartment and held a 16-year-old hostage. The ensuing standoff lasted four hours and ended when Vance surrendered. His hostage also was released unharmed.

Vance was charged with attempted aggravated murder, and other charges are expected, according to Hill.

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.

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