LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) — New details of Tuesday night’s fatal shooting in Lancaster are coming to light as police have released officer body camera footage of the incident.
The shooting left two men dead and one woman injured, and a suspect in custody.
The Lancaster Police Department has released video footage from two responding officers.
Officers responded to a home on the 1200 block of North Broad Street at approximately 5:30 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a behavioral health issue, but when the first officer arrived at the scene, that quickly changed, leaving the lone officer to immediately call for backup.
Within seconds, that officer fired shots at the suspect – identified as Kyle Varney, 26 – before Varney even made it to the front door.
“I need all units here, shots fired, I have shots fired,” the officer said. “I have one subject down.”
As backup officers arrived, the first responding officer said he fired shots at Varney but that he wasn’t sure where Varney was at that moment.
“73 wearing a baseball cap and a black shirt,” one of the responding officers said. “Once you guys get here, get a drone in the air.”
A woman was found shot in the head outside of the home and officers attempted to get her to safety, but before that happened, Varney came out from behind the house.
“Right there, right there!” one officer said. “Hey, put your hands in the air. Walk out here, walk out here now. Keep your hands up.”
In the body camera video, Varney can be seen walking toward officers, following their commands. One of the officers asks the woman if Varney was the suspected shooter.
“Crawl towards me, over here in between the cars,” one of the officers commands Varney. “Do not. You will get shot now don’t.”
Officers were able to take Varney into custody without further incident. Varney suffered from gunshot wounds, but investigators don’t yet know if that happened before officers arrived.
Lancaster Police confirmed on Wednesday that the two dead men were Varney’s father and grandfather and that Varney’s mother was the injured woman.
As of Wednesday, Varney is being charged with two counts of murder and six counts of felonious assault.
