‘Active shooter’ fires at police, hit by gunfire in northern Ohio

Havrilek shot at officers and was hit in the exchange of gunfire, police in Norton said.

No officers were injured, and Havrilek was taken to Akron General Hospital after he was found behind a unit at Barber Road Storage, 3318 Barber Road in Newton, a city of about 12,000 10 miles southwest of Akron.

The incident prompted an emergency alert for residents to stay inside and a lockdown of two schools in the neighboring city of Barberton. Barberton High School is about one-third mile and Barberton Middle School a half mile from the storage business, Google maps show.

Local police activated their SWAT team, and multiple police agencies responded, including the Ohio Highway Patrol that searched with a helicopter equipped with infrared. Local law enforcement also was working with the FBI and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The suspect has an extensive violent criminal background, but it’s not clear what charges he faces for this incident. He was found in the rear of Barber Road Storage.

UPDATE @ 10 p.m.

A suspect was shot and taken into custody tonight in connection to what police called an “active shooter” situation.

The suspect was taken to Akron General Hospital, but it was not immediately clear whether the gunshot was self-inflicted or by police.

The incident led to a lockdown at Barberton high and middle schools and residents were ordered to stay inside in the Norton community.

The suspect’s name has not been released, nor what charges he faces.

Law enforcement agencies from across the area, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol, assisted in the incident.

EARLIER REPORT

Students have been released to their their parents after the high school and middle school were cleared following reports of an active shooter.

Preliminary reports indicate that a suspect in custody is headed to a hospital, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.

Police first were called around 7 p.m. to a report that a man with an assault rifle was walking around Barber Road Storage, according to a tweet from the Barberton Herald. There also were reports of shots fired.

Police shut down Barber Road and issued an emergency alert, ordering residents to stay clear of Barberton High School, near the storage facility, and to shelter in place.

The suspect is described as a white male standing 5 feet 9 inches. The last known photo of him showed a shaved head and goatee, police said.

Barberton police said all students were safe inside the schools on lockdown.