Ontario police officer Dylan Bailey shot twice, female victim once during hostage standoff

ONTARIO, Ohio ― An Ontario police officer and a woman who were wounded by gunfire during a domestic disturbance Sunday night that turned into a hostage situation and standoff remained hospitalized Monday in stable condition.

Officer Dylain Bailey, 29, sustained three gunshot wounds — two to a leg and a third to an elbow — when he responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 1000 block of the Landings Court housing complex, Ontario police Chief Tommy Hill said Monday at a news conference.

A 43-year-old Galion woman who was being held hostage by her ex-boyfriend inside a home sustained a single gunshot wound to her lower extremities as she tried to flee the gunman, Hill said. A four-hour standoff ensued, after which, the gunman surrendered.

Previous reporting: Ontario police officer, female hostage wounded by gunfire as four-hour standoff unfolded

The suspect, Jareth Vance, 32, of Perrysville, Vance is charged with attempted aggravated murder, Hill said, and additional charges are pending with the Richland County Prosecutor's Office. Vance is being held in the Richland County Jail on a $1 million bond.

"This was a disturbance call at first and ... we were caught off guard. We didn't know the domestic violence relationship (between those involved)," Hill said.

"They're heroes," he said of his officers. "I just love them and they just did an amazing job."

Shootings, standoff evolved from earlier incident that day

There was an earlier incident Sunday in Crawford County between the female victim and Vance, her ex-boyfriend, that continued over into Richland County, Hill said.

There had been friction in the relationship between Vance and the woman involved, Hill said. Vance had a history of charges, including domestic violence and assault, and officers later learned that the wounded woman had a no contact order against Vance, he said.

Vance later drove to the Ontario housing complex in a U-Haul van. Once Vance got there, the police chief characterized what happened as like a home invasion, a burglary charge with an unwanted guest.

Ontario police received a 911 call at 8:47 p.m. Sunday about a disturbance in Landings Court at Walker Lake and Home roads. The caller indicated the suspect was armed.

Upon arrival, officers could see through a window that the suspect was holding the female victim hostage at gunpoint inside the house, Hill said.

There were a lot of other people in the house and officers were urging them to get out, Hill said. he estimated five children ranging in age from 6 to 10, two adult females and two older adult males ran out of the house.

When officers tried to rescue the hostage, Vance fired at them, striking Officer Bailey, Hill said. Shortly after Bailey was shot, the hostage escaped Vance's control and ran out the front door Vance shot her as well, the chief said.

Vance then barricaded himself inside the residence, where he held a 16-year-old girl hostage, Hill said.

Acts of heroism

On Officer Bailey's body camera audio played during the news conference, he can be heard telling dispatch he's been "hit" by gunfire.

"After he got pulled off and got a tourniquet put on his leg, he actually asked the officers to lift him up to where he could get his rifle in the car and still point to the front door so he could protect everybody who was there," Hill said.

This was not the first time Bailey had acted courageously in protecting public safety, Hill said. A few years ago, Bailey received a lifesaving award for helping a juvenile who was attempting to jump off a bridge on Lexington-Springmill Road.

As other officers talked to the juvenile, Bailey came up behind from behind and got him off the bridge, saving his life.

"Salt of the earth," Hill said of Bailey.

Meanwhile, Hill said the teen girl who had locked herself inside a bathroom "did an absolutely amazing job of keeping herself where she was at ... One of our sergeants that was on the scene was actually able to talk to her (on a cellphone) and keep her calm. Her survival because of her instincts and what she did — she's a hero."

Hostage negotiators talked to the suspect, Hill said, "and ultimately were able to get him to come out with no further injuries."

Asked if police had been able to determine what Vance's intention or motive Sunday night, Hill said Vance had been "semi-cooperative" with police, but "we haven't had a chance to (fully) interview Mr. Vance. That's part of the investigation."

Domestic violence calls the most dangerous, chief says

Hill told media during the Monday afternoon news conference that domestic violence calls are the most dangerous calls for responding officers.

"This is one of those calls you train for, but you could never prepare for all of the other people that are there," Hill said of the Sunday night situation. "When we're engaged in a situation like this a lot of time it's usually an armed suspect and us.

On Sunday night, Hill said, "This was a situation that was unraveling and there were children running out of the house. There were adults running out of the house. We didn't know if the suspect was coming out. ... We couldn't get some people to move," Hill said. "... This guy was shooting from inside to out; you had the people who were standing or sat down (outside), and we had to worry about them. When I watched this, my heart just sank. This is the worst situation you ever want your officers to be involved."

Hill thanked all the law enforcement and other agencies who responded to the shooting and standoff Sunday night, and to the public for their support, prayers and messages since.

"Our prayers go to our officer and the family of the 43-year-old victim," he said.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Suspect Jareth Vance, 32, charged with attempted aggravated murder