PLEANSANTVILLE, OH (WCMH) — In a town of fewer than one thousand people, the last thing Patrick Nance expected to hear about was a deputy-involved shooting.
“I saw the officers down here, but I just figured it was just something simple-a speeding ticket or something like that,” Nance said. “But then it just struck me as a little weird and stuff, because why are all these camera crew here? Why are all these officers here? Why is this area taped off? So I thought it was a car accident. That I could expect. Nope.”
Fairfield County Sheriff Dave Phalen said deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call in the 100-block of First Street about 4:40am Monday.
“There was an individual in the front yard,” Phalen said. “He did have a handgun. He was waving it around, threatening to shoot someone.”
Phalen said the deputies asked Nicholas Norton, 29, to drop the gun. But Phalen said he refused and pointed the gun in the deputies’ direction. That’s when they fired, hitting him at least once.
“It is concerning, because originally, we didn’t know whether there was a deputy struck or not, but fortunately both the deputies are OK,” Phalen said.
He noted that Columbus police are handling the investigation and that they would determine whether the suspect had actually fired any rounds at the deputies.
Norton was taken to Grant Medical Center, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. Another adult and child who were in the house at the time of this incident were safe, according to Phalen.
Patrick Nance, who grew up in Columbus before moving to Pleasantville in 2007, said incidents like this never happen there.
“Hopefully this is the only time this ever happens,” Nance said. “I know people around here who have raised two generations of kids here. Never seen anything like this.”
Norton has been charged with two counts of felonious assault, two counts of aggravated menacing and one count of domestic violence. Both deputies involved in this incident have now been put on administrative leave while the investigation continues.