Rochester, N.Y. — A Webster native died early Thursday in Ohio while responding to a call as a member of the Cleveland Division of Police.
Jamieson Ritter, 27, had responded around 1:30 a.m. to a call for a suspect wanted for felonious assault on Cleveland’s east side when he was shot and killed, according to ABC affiliate WEWS.
A suspect, 24-year-old Delawnte Hardy, is charged with aggravated murder.
Ritter graduated from McQuaid Jesuit in 2015 and Syracuse University in 2019 before serving in the Army National Guard. He became a Cleveland police officer in November 2020. After a deployment to Syria in 2022, he returned to Cleveland in 2023.
According to the Cleveland Division of Police, Ritter “grew up with profound desire to serve his country and his community.”
“Today is a sad day for our city,” Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said in a statement. “Ironically, on this day designated for freedom, we are reminded of the evil that tries to impose on our community. However, despite our pain and hurt, we take in the immense sacrifice Officer Ritter gave, and we will honor his memory and compassion. We will continue to carry his legacy in our hearts.”
In a statement, McQuaid Jesuit said Ritter “displayed unwavering dedication and courage while serving his community.”
Ritter’s dad, Jon, retired from the Greece Police Department in 2013. The elder Ritter was injured by shrapnel in the 2012 Christmas Eve ambush on Lake Road in Webster that killed two West Webster firefighters and injured two others.
BACKGROUND: Officer who survived Webster shooting: ‘I don’t know why I’m still here’
