Suspected Shooter Dead, Officer Wounded

Columbus Police say they fatally shot a man who they suspect in the shootings of a woman and a nine year old child at two other separate locations. Grove City police captain Jeff Pearson says the mayhem began early Friday morning when a man identified as 47 year old Danny Thornton walked up to the front door of house on Independence Street. "The nine year old child answered a knock at the door and was shot immediately. The mother was inside the living room and she was able to contact the police department," says Pearson. The nine year old is the son of Thornton's ex-girlfriend. Within thirty minutes Columbus police were called to a dentist's office on Hamilton Road where a woman was shot. Sargeant Rich Weiner says federal agents were then brought in to help search for the suspect. Police received two phone tips that helped them locate Thornton in the parking lot of a Sam's Club store at Morse and Stelzer roads. "The officers were able to contain him to his vehicle, and immediately that's when he jumped out of the car and raised his weapon at the officers. We returned fire. He was killed at the scene, pronounced," says Weiner. Weiner says a SWAT officer was wounded, a gunshot wound to the hip. A handgun was recovered at the scene. "We react to the actions of a suspect, and that's what happened here today." Weiner adds that investigators will interview family members of the suspect and the two people who called police during the search. Both the boy and the woman were in critical condition Friday afternoon. The wounded officer is reported in stable condition. This story contains some information from The Associated Press