Steven Eric Disario, aged 36, was the Chief of Police for the Kirkersville Police Department in Ohio. On May 12, 2017, he responded to a report of an armed man outside the Pine Kirk Care Center. Upon arriving at the scene, Chief Disario spotted the gunman, later identified as 43-year-old Thomas Hartless. During the encounter, Chief Disario was shot and fatally wounded.
Despite being pulled to safety by responding deputies, he succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
The gunman, Thomas Hartless, then entered the nursing home and killed two employees, Cindy Krantz, a 48-year-old nurse's aide, and Marlina Medrano, a nurse. Hartless also took his own life inside the nursing home. The incident resulted in a lockdown of the nearby Kirkersville Elementary School and a large-scale police response.
Chief Disario had only served as the police chief for three weeks and was a father of six children, with a seventh on the way. His death was a tragic event that deeply affected the small community of Kirkersville. The investigation revealed that Hartless had taken two people hostage before the shootout, but they managed to escape unharmed.
The Kirkersville shooting highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and the impact of such incidents on small communities. Chief Disario's dedication and sacrifice were honored by numerous police officers and community members who attended his funeral.
