LYONS, Ohio — The capture on Tuesday afternoon of a man suspected of shooting a Fulton County sheriff’s deputy marked the end of a roughly 17-hour search that involved dozens of officers from federal, state, and local agencies.
Jeshua Gilmore, 18, is now in custody, while the man he’s accused of shooting — Deputy Jeremy Simon, a 24-year veteran — is in stable condition and likely to be released from the hospital by Wednesday morning, Fulton County Sheriff Roy Miller said.
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Mr. Gilmore was captured without incident in central Toledo just before 3 p.m. after police received a tip on his whereabouts, according to Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Alex Rutter and other authorities.
VIDEO: Fulton County Sheriff Roy Miller on the incident
As Mr. Gilmore was captured on Tuesday, Fulton County’s deputies — many of whom stayed out on their own time to aid the search on Monday night — were still recovering from the exhausting late-night manhunt, Sheriff Miller said.
“Obviously, when a co-worker, or a police officer, a sister or brother, is shot, you come together,” the sheriff said.
Toledo police spokesman Sgt. Kevan Toney said Mr. Gilmore was sitting on the steps of an apartment complex at 2257 Upton Ave. when he was arrested without incident. Police are still investigating what connection, if any, Mr. Gilmore has with the complex, and whether anyone there was hiding him.
Officers Spellis, Tabb, and Crissman ended regional manhunt suspect who shot a Fulton Co. deputy. #teamwork #keepingtoledosafe pic.twitter.com/EUDfzydaxj
— Toledo Police (@ToledoPolice) August 1, 2017
Officers Edward Spellis, Cherokee Tabb, and Nicole Crissman made the arrest, the department announced.
The search for Mr. Gilmore began late Monday night after a confrontation at the Country Corral Truck Stop, 7610 State Rte. 109, in Delta.
Deputy Simon and Delta police responded to a suspicious activity call at the truck strop around 9:30 p.m. When Deputy Simon approached the location in York Township just south of the Ohio Turnpike, a man later identified as Mr. Gilmore fled in a vehicle.
A manager at the truck stop declined comment Tuesday.
Skye Thibodeaux, 18, was a passenger in the car, officials said.
Following a short pursuit, Mr. Gilmore slowed to a stop at State Rte. 109 between county roads S and T in Lyons because of vehicle problems, officials said.
Deputy Simon and his police dog exited the patrol car and started toward the vehicle. Mr. Gilmore opened the door of his car and began firing at the deputy before fleeing into a nearby cornfield, officials said.
Four shots were fired. Two struck the deputy in the left side below his armpit, Sheriff Miller said. The police dog was not injured, officials said. Authorities believe Mr. Gilmore then stole a Chevy Tahoe from a nearby concrete business.
Deputy Simon was flown to ProMedica Toledo Hospital with injuries not considered to be life-threatening.
The officer did not return fire, the sheriff said.
Fulton County authorities have charged Mr. Gilmore with one count of attempted aggravated murder, one count of fleeing and eluding, and one count of weapons under disability.
Before Monday night he also faced charges in Toledo Municipal Court of receiving stolen property, and in Fulton County Common Pleas Court of theft, grand theft, receiving stolen property, and stealing cars, computers, and credit cards.
Miss Thibodeaux also fled into the cornfield but then came back out and surrendered. She was booked in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio on charges of obstructing justice and obstructing official business.
Margie Chapa, who lives about a quarter-mile from where the shooting occurred, said the sound of gunshots stopped her in her tracks. She was outside with her daughter when she heard the shots, which were followed by the smell of gunfire. The two quickly went inside.
“We didn’t think it was an accident because we didn’t hear a collision sort of noise, but we knew something wasn’t right,” she said. “We saw lots of cop cars. They just kept coming.”
They watched officials search into the early morning hours. The hunt was suspended at approximately 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.
A woman who answered the door at a Goodale Avenue address listed as Mr. Gilmore’s residence in court records declined to comment. No one answered the door at a Locust Street address also included in the records. Neighbors at both locations said they had never seen Mr. Gilmore.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the search by the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, MAN Unit, the Wauseon, Delta, Fayette and Swanton police departments, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Lyons Fire and Rescue, the FBI, the ATF, U.S. Marshals, and others.
Blade staff writer Nolan Rosenkrans contributed to this story.
Contact Allison Reamer at areamer@theblade.com, 419-724-6506 or on Twitter @AllisonRBlade. Contact David Yaffe-Bellany at dbellany@theblade.com or 419-724-6050.
First Published August 1, 2017, 4:17 a.m.
