Man takes gun from officer, fires off shot as officers attempted to arrest him, police say

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) – A man in Ohio who was wanted on felony warrants fired an officer’s weapon during an arrest attempt Wednesday morning, according to authorities.

Officers in New Philadelphia were called to make a welfare check after a caller reported seeing a man lying against a tree in a wooded area.

The responding officers found the man, who, they said, gave them false identification. After 30 to 35 minutes, officers identified him as a 25-year-old man from Stark County who was wanted on two active felony warrants with a violent offender designation.

When the officers attempted to arrest him, the suspect took off into a wooded area.

The officers pursued and tackled him. While on the ground, the suspect got his hands on an officer’s holster, removed the gun and fired one round into the air.

Officers said the suspect also said, “I am going to keep shooting.”

The officers quickly regained control of the gun and took the man into custody.

No one was injured in the incident.

After investigating, officials said the man, identified as 28-year-old Dyllan Riter, was connected to the robberies of two Dollar General stores in Waynesburg and East Sparta.

The Stark County Sheriff’s Office said during the Dollar General robberies, Riter held both clerks at knifepoint and got away with hundreds of dollars.

According to deputies, he fled one of the robberies in a car containing two children, 10 months old and 5 years old.

The sheriff’s office said when deputies caught up with Riter, he ignored a traffic stop and took off at reckless speeds.

He was able to evade Stark County deputies until he was taken into custody Wednesday.

In Stark County, Riter has been charged with aggravated robbery, child endangering, failure to comply and theft.

Charges against him are still pending in New Philadelphia.