CLEVELAND — Friends and community members are continuing to mourn the loss of 27-year-old Jamieson Ritter, the Cleveland police officer shot and killed in the line of duty early Thursday morning.
As flowers, notes and other tributes pile up in front of the Cleveland Division of Police's Third District to honor the fallen officer, Ritter’s loved ones in other states are wrestling with grief of their own.
“He was an incredible friend, and I know that he was an incredible son, just really an incredible human,” said close friend Jack Schwab.
Schwab says his friendship with Ritter began in their freshman year of high school together in Rochester, New York, and since then, they’ve been best friends.
He said Thursday morning, he woke up to a missed call from Ritter’s mom. When he called back, he got the devastating news Ritter was dead.
“I just, it's hard to fathom that I won't ever see him again because of the positive impact that he had on my life and his family continues to have on my life,” said Schwab.
Schwab says the news has been hard on their entire friend group, who all rushed to Ritter’s family’s home in New York within hours of hearing the news. However, in the middle of the grief, Schwab says he knows his friend died doing what he believed he was called to do.
“I think he really saw it as a duty, and I think that he felt, while he was capable of helping people, that he was obligated to do so.”
Ritter not only left a lasting impact on Schwab, but on George Freeman, a Cleveland resident who lives in the area where Ritter patrolled.
“Me and probably my friends that experienced him are still just really taking it all in right now, like wow,” said Freeman.
Freeman says he developed a friendship with Officer Ritter over the last few months after Ritter and his partner stopped by in May while on patrol.
According to Freeman, Ritter saw a big crowd outside Freeman’s home and introduced himself. He ultimately ended up having a meal with the family and let Freeman’s niece and nephew sit in his patrol car.
“He’s a genuine dude, he don’t have to do what he do, and to lay it all on the line, like, how many people are willing to do that? He’s a real superhero,” said Freeman.
Ritter was one of several Cleveland police officers who responded to a call in the 1500 block of East 80th in the overnight hours of Thursday "for a male wanted for a felonious assault from a local suburb."
"Officers arrived on scene and attempted to make contact with the male," Cleveland Police Chief Annie Todd said. "The male did exit the house and tried to leave the area on a bicycle. Officers attempted to arrest the male when the male produced a firearm and began firing multiple times. One of our members was struck by one of those bullets. He was transported to the hospital and he did expire at the hospital from his injuries."
De'Lawnte Hardy, the 24-year-old man accused of fatally shooting Ritter, has been charged with aggravated murder. Hardy made his first court appearance in the case Friday morning where a judge set his bond at $5 million.
3News received multiple statements from those who knew and loved Officer Ritter. You can read those statements below:
Holly Gerber-George, Syracuse Army ROTC
“He was a great friend, someone you could count on to have your back and cheer you up. Everyone wanted him around because you knew he’d bring a light. ROTC training could be anything but fun at times but I loved those 4 years because of the friendships we created. We decided to embrace the suck and make amazing memories together, which have kept us all close even years later. Jamieson Ritter was a part of our family, we grew up together, all knowing it wasn’t the easiest path but what was right. That was Ritter, he chose a life of selflessness and he brought so much happiness and laughter for the ride. Anyone who knew him will agree that he had a pure soul and you were lucky to know him. I’m so proud to have been his friend.”
Cameron Caporusso, Syracuse Army ROTC
"Jamieson was definitely a valued member of Syracuse ROTC. Anytime things were tough, whether it be life or the training we were going through you could always count on him to lighten the mood and for a laugh. I was a year ahead of him in the program, and can definitely say he made a lasting positive impression on myself and our peers. He was someone you could rely on to get the job done and done well at all times. He no doubt was a great person and from what I’ve seen about his time on the force in Ohio he showed it repeatedly."
Eric Schaertl, Syracuse Army ROTC
"That young man was focused primarily on serving his country and helping others. He grew up during the war on terror. His uncle, who was an active duty army officer, was his role model. All he wanted to do, far as I could tell, was get commissioned and serve as an active duty Army officer. Because he was a part time officer [in the National Guard], he opted to serve his community as a law enforcement officer. With him it was all about service to others. An exceptionally selfless, very determined, resilient individual, a very humble individual, a very polite, quiet unassuming young man. An all around great young man."
Aidan Barczak
"I am devastated and heartbroken about Jamieson’s passing in the line of duty yesterday. He was a great man who dedicated his entire adult life to serving his country and community and my best friend at Syracuse."
Previous Reporting:
- 'My heart just sank:' Euclid police chief reacts to death of Cleveland officer Jamieson Ritter less than 2 months after Jacob Derbin was killed
- $5 million bond set for murder suspect De'Lawnte Hardy in shooting death of Cleveland police officer Jamieson Ritter
- Tributes pour in for Cleveland police officer Jamieson Ritter, who was killed in the line of duty
- Breaking updates: Cleveland police officer dies in overnight shooting
- Cleveland police officer killed in overnight shooting identified as Jamieson Ritter