NEW PHILADELPHIA −The man who grabbed a New Philadelphia police officer’s gun during a struggle on Jan. 14 has been charged with attempted murder, felonious assault and grand theft.
A preliminary hearing for Dyllan Riter, 28, is set for Jan. 21, Tuscarawas County Prosecutor Ryan Styer said.
Court records show his address as New Philadelphia, however a social media post by the New Philadelphia Police Department gave his address as Canton.
Police officers encountered Riter when they were called to do a wellness check in the 1800 block of East High Avenue. He had been lying under a tree and refused to identify himself for more than 30 minutes. Riter fled on foot when officers attempted to take him into custody and was soon taken to the ground by the officer. During the struggle, Riter removed an officer’s gun from the holster and fired one round, according to the post. Nobody was injured.
He was booked into the Tuscarawas County Jail on a probation violation, according to the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s website. Court records show his bond has been set $300,000.
Riter was on parole for 2021 Stark County case where he was sent to prison for burglary, drug possession, carrying a concealed weapon, having a weapon while under disability and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, according to the Canton Repository.
On the day of his arrest in New Philadelphia, he was charged with felony counts of aggravated robbery, one felony count of failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, two misdemeanor counts of endangering children and one misdemeanor count of theft in Stark County. The Canton Repository reported Riter has been accused of robbing two Dollar General stores there. Stark County court records say he fled from one crime scene with two children, a 5-year-old and 10-month-old, in his vehicle.
Statement from safety director
Kevin Milligan, safety director for New Philadelphia, issued a statement on Jan. 16 regarding the apprehension of Dyllan Riter and the circumstances surrounding his capture. Here is a portion of that statement:
“The City of New Philadelphia remains committed to transparency, accountability, and public safety. In light of the recent arrest of Dyllan Riter, who was a fugitive harboring within our city, I want to publicly express my full support for the actions taken by four New Philadelphia Police officers involved in this incident, the statement read.
“These officers operated under extraordinary stress in a volatile and unpredictable situation in which deadly force would of be justified by legal standards. Their response demonstrated exceptional discipline, courage, and professionalism.
“I want to personally thank these four officers for their decisive and courageous actions, as well as extend my gratitude to every member of the New Philadelphia Police Department.
“I would also like to thank Tuscarawas County Prosecutor Ryan Styer for his partnership throughout this investigation and for working collaboratively with our department to ensure the timely release of body-worn camera footage to the community in support of transparency. I further appreciate the prosecutor’s office for its commitment to pursuing charges to the highest extent permitted by law.”
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Man accused of firing officer’s gun is charged with attempted murder
Reporting by The Times-Reporter / The Times-Reporter
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