Slain Kirkersville, Ohio, police chief has ties to area

Kirkersville Police Chief Steven DiSario, who was killed by a gunman at a Kirkersville nursing home Friday, has ties to the Dayton area through his wife Aryn.

Her father and step-mother live in Huber Heights. Her step-mother Vickie Armintrout said Aryn DiSario called this morning in fear because she knew her husband was on duty and couldn’t get any information on the shooting.

»CONTINUOUS UPDATES: 4 dead, including police chief, in Kirkersville nursing home shooting

Armintrout said the couple have been married about seven or eight years. They are a blended family each with kids from previous relationships. They have one child together and Aryn is pregnant, ready to give birth any day now.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Armintrout said. “You just don’t know what she’s going to do now, you know? It’s just heartbreaking for the children and his wife.”

Eric DiSario worked as an officer only part-time, she said, but it’s something he always wanted to do.

He also worked with a company that does home remodeling, she said, and knew how to do a little bit of everything.

He’s worked as a police officer part-time in other areas and had only been on the job in Kirkersville for three weeks.

»PHOTOS: Deadly shooting at Kirkersville nursing home

“It’s unbelievable,” Armintrout said. “This is why she didn’t want him to become a police officer. She was so afraid of this happening.”

She described him as very intelligent, always helpful and a great father and step-father to his kids.

“If I’m sitting here and he’s 85 miles away and I said, ‘Eric, I need you right now,’ he wouldn’t even ask a question. He’d be here,” Armintrout said. “That’s the kind of guy he is.”

»MORE: Beyond Kirkersville: Country’s worst shootings so far this year happened in Ohio

The couple met while living in the Columbus area, and DiSario was close with all five of their children.

“His oldest stepdaughter… he’s like her only father. So he’s been so wonderful to her,” Armintrout said.

Two of the children were out of town with DiSario’s mother when the shooting occurred and are headed back to Ohio.

“I feel really bad for his mom,” Armintrout said. “They’re all really good people, a really good family.”

» RELATED: 3 things to know about the Village of Kirkersville

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