Sheriffs from Allen, Paulding, and Van Wert counties came together to fill everyone in on what was found in the investigation into Terry “Rusty” Pierce Jr.
Pierce stole a semi-tractor on Sept. 3 and led police on a high-speed chase for nearly two hours. He took multiple agencies into three different counties. At the very end, he began to drive into oncoming traffic on U.S. 30. There was no question the investigation found Pierce was a danger to the public.
"I mean where do you start?" said Lt. Brion Hanenkratt, detective from Paulding County. "Multiple threats to public safety from erratic, from his statements to harm other people and law enforcement. I mean where do you start?"
Through 911 calls, Pierce made dozens of threats, including one towards a school bus full of children. He also made it sound like he was on a suicide mission. It was when he drove into oncoming traffic that Major Todd Mohler helped make the call to step up to using lethal force.
"Safety of the public, like I said, also his threats on the phone," Mohler said of Allen County Sheriff's Office. "It’s a tough call to make all the way around but I believe at the end of the day that saved a lot of innocent people from being harmed or killed."
The four involved in the shooting that stopped Pierce from moving on were Justin Kirk, Barry Friemoth, Corey Hanjora, and Josh Bayer. Pierce was shot three times according to the coroner report. 12 to 15 shots hit the semi all fired by Allen County SWAT. No charges were filed against any of the officers involved in the shooting. All have returned to work since the grand jury’s findings.
The one thing we always want to know is why something like this happens. Through dozens of interviews, the detective said we just don’t know what his motive was.
