WKSU News: Police officer shot to death in a small Ohio town

Monday, January 18, 2016 Police officer shot to death in a small Ohio town The suspected killer of a Danville policeman in custody by WKSU's STATEHOUSE CORRESPONDENT JO INGLES	Reporter Jo Ingles

Danville, Ohio police officer Thomas Cottrell who was shot and killed Sunday night.

Courtesy of Officer Down Memorial Page

The Knox County Sheriff’s Department arrested a man with a long criminal history in the killing of a police officer in a small north central Ohio village. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles has details.

LISTEN: Killing is called an assassination

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Danville Police Officer Thomas Cottrell’s body was found just before midnight Sunday, with his service weapon and cruiser missing.

His body was found about 20 minutes after the ex-girlfriend of Herschel Ray Jones of Danville called dispatchers to report that Jones was armed and said he wanted to kill a police officer. Following a short foot chase, officers found Jones and arrested him.

Jones has had multiple convictions on burglary, theft, stolen property and drug-related charges and has served prison time. In a written statement, the president of the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, Jay McDonald, said Cottrell’s assassination is the latest reminder of how dangerous police work is and "how the police are targeted for violence."