Who was Matthew Yates? Ohio sheriff’s deputy shot dead amid standoff at mobile home park
CLARK COUNTY, OHIO: A Clark County Sheriff’s deputy was fatally shot while another officer was injured in a shooting at a mobile home on Sunday, July 24. The officer who was fatally shot was flown to a hospital and later succumbed to his injuries. The reports claim that at least five or six shots were fired and an unidentified woman who broke into a house is said to be a suspect. The officer, upon hearing the news, went to check the residence, which is when they were shot.
Sheriff Deborah Burchett confirmed that Deputy Matthew Yates was fatally shot in a residence at the Harmony Estates Mobile Home Park Sunday morning, July 24. The Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at 10.51 am which explained that an unknown woman had broken into a residence 1100 block of Ashwood Drive and had fired some shots. Yates, along with his partner, went to check the residence and that's when the incident happened. Yates was flown to Miami Valley Hospital, where he fought but couldn't survive. "The Clark County Special Operations and several surrounding tactical teams were called in and facilitated a rescue of the downed Deputy," Burchett was quoted as saying by WHIO. The news outlet reported that their on-scene crew saw several law enforcement agencies and SWAT crews conducted an hours-long standoff at the residence after the shooting was reported.
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WHIO reported that their crew also saw a second deputy get loaded into an ambulance around 1.30 pm. The extent of their injuries and their conditions were unknown at that time. It is also unknown currently if the second was shot, and how many times. NewsCenter7 also reported a motorcade of law enforcement vehicles leaving the crime scene and arriving at the hospital. Right after 6 pm, the motorcade was then seen going to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. A fire also broke out as firefighters and tanker trucks were called to the scene. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost posted a picture of the trailer with a caption reading, "Another hero down responding to a call, shot by the man in this trailer in Clark County. It appears to have caught fire during the attempt to apprehend him. BCI is investigating at the invitation of the Clark County SO. My heart aches for everyone who wears the badge."
Another hero down responding to a call, shot by the man in this trailer in Clark County. It appears to have caught fire during the attempt to apprehend him.
— Attorney General Dave Yost (@DaveYostOH) July 24, 2022
BCI is investigating at the invitation of the Clark County SO.
My heart aches for everyone who wears the badge. pic.twitter.com/QcUYXsn7j6
Who was Matthew Yates?
As of now, information on the Deputy is kept under the wraps. However, while announcing Yates's death, Sheriff Deborah Burchett said, "Deputy Yates was a 15-year veteran of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and was a valued member of the Special Operations Team." The suspect remains at large and it's unclear whether the second officer has survived his injuries or not. To conclude the matters quickly, The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been requested to join the investigation. No additional details were provided by the BCI spokesperson as the incident still remains ambiguous.
Yates was a recognized member of the community and rightfully so, a veteran in his field. Back in 2019, he was praised for visiting two boys, Storm Pelfrey, 11, and Eddie Strayer, 9, who made their own uniforms and walkie-talkies and patroled the Ridgewood Court Townhomes apartment complex in hopes of becoming a police officers. He told Springfield News-Sun, "They know about protecting the community, keeping them safe."
This is a developing story and we will update you.