by Brooks Jarosz / Amanda Burger
Monday, April 11th 2016
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — The suspected gunman who shot and critically hurt a veteran police officer was denied bond after prosecutors argued he’s a danger to the community.
ABC 6 Investigators uncovered new information about Lincoln Rutledge, 44, who opened fire on Columbus S.W.A.T. team members over the weekend, leaving veteran officer Steven Smith on life support. In open court, it was explained Smith wasn’t expected to make it.
Police were actively looking for Rutledge a week before Officer Smith was shot during a standoff.
Rutledge was arraigned in Franklin County Municipal Court Tuesday morning on felonious assault and aggravated arson charges.
Records show Rutledge was battling mental illness that led to him losing his job at Ohio State University and is accused of recently assaulting his estranged wife as well as a former co-worker.
Rutledge had a court order for a mental evaluation through Franklin County Probate Court on March 24, according to an Ohio State University police report. The orders for detention are normally good for 10 days.
Deputies attempted to serve Rutledge with the paperwork that would have led to a psychiatric evaluation and possible committal up to 90 days. However, attempts were unsuccessful.
Rutledge’s wife reported him missing on March 28 after no one had seen or heard from since March 22, according to the report.
On March 30, he was found to be visiting his nephew in Missouri. Local police checked on him and reported that he seemed fine.
The order for an mental evaluation was ordered to stay in effect until it could be served when he returned to Ohio, according to a police report.
Then on Saturday, a day before the shooting, Rutledge’s wife called police while she was out of town on vacation. She told police her soon to be ex-husband was unstable, depressed and recently became violent.
“I’m just really nervous,” she told an officer in a recorded phone call.
“I just sent back I don’t have your money,” she told the officer.
A young woman and her boyfriend were dog-sitting at her home. She was worried about their safety and asked for increased patrol.
“I don’t know if you guys could just drive by occasionally or something until I’m back home,” she asked police.
Within hours of making that call, her home was set on fire, an investigation shows.
Rutledge’s wife and his neighbors say he recently became erratic. He took an approved break from Ohio State where he worked for three years as an information technology security specialist.
Rutledge’s wife told officers that he ripped the internet wires out of the walls of his apartment. He smashed his phone and put it in glass of water because he believed the government was out to get him.
Those close to him told police he owned numerous weapons.
“He has a concealed carry [permit and I] believe it is outdated and he has a nine millimeter and two old shotguns,” his wife told officers.
Ohio State revoked his access to buildings after an assault involving a co-worker was reported at Rutledge’s apartment on March 22.
Rutledge is accused of attacking a co-worker with a claw hammer, striking him in the head with bottle and made verbal threats about harming himself including “eating a Glock.” He accused his friend of being a fed. He refused to meet with his psychologist.
Rutledge referenced several other weapons in his possession including a 9mm Ruger pistol, a muzzle loading rifle, and made comments about a Russian Tokarev pistol as well as a Moisin Nagant bolt action rifle.
Rutledge’s friend told officials that his mental state worsened after he was served with divorce papers. He had a hard time remembering simple tasks or basic responsibilities as an employee at the university. He stopped coming to work.
He resigned from Ohio State a week ago.
A day before Officer Smith was gunned down, Rutledge was accused of burning down his wife’s Clintonville home.
As S.W.A.T. team members went to apprehend Rutledge, shots rang out from his California Avenue apartment in Clintonville.
Smith was critically wounded. He remains surrounded by loved ones fighting for his life. A new charge of attempted murder was added.
Rutledge was released from the hospital and booked in the Franklin County Jail late Monday night.
Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron O’Brien requested Rutledge have no bond. Prosecutors argue Rutledge is a danger to the community.
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Judge sentences Lincoln Rutledge to life in prison for killing Columbus SWAT officer — (10TV)
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A man convicted of fatally shooting an Ohio SWAT officer during a standoff in Columbus last year has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Judge Mark Serrott sentenced 45-year-old Lincoln Rutledge to life in prison after criticizing him for “showing no remorse” in the killing of Columbus SWAT Officer Steven Smith.
In addition to the life sentence for the aggravated murder conviction, the judge to sentence Rutledge to 66 years separately and consecutively on the aggravated arson and felonious assault charges.
Prosecutors said SWAT officers were trying to arrest Rutledge for setting his estranged wife’s home on fire, but Rutledge refused to come out.
Officers testified Rutledge fired shots at four SWAT officers and shot Smith as he was standing in the turret of an armored car. Smith was shot once in the head and died two days later.
The jury deliberated for about seven hours before recommending their sentence last month. The jury couldn’t reach a unanimous decision to send Rutledge to death row.
Rutledge had no reaction when the verdict was read. Outside the courtroom, Rutledge’s father choked back tears as he talked about what it was like to plead with the jury to spare his son’s life.
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But it’s your son. And you do what you do…you do what you do for love,” Keith Rutledge said.
For the first time, Rutledge’s family publicly expressed their sorrow and regret for the officer’s death.
“I’m so sorry for the Smith family that they lost a loved one, and I pray for them every day that they’ll find some peace,” cried Rutledge’s sister, Molly Martin.
Smith’s wife said she accepts the jury’s decision. Columbus police officer John Holloway, who was there the night Officer Smith was shot, said SWAT is grateful the jury believed Rutledge intentionally shot at police and said the focus should remain on a fallen hero.
“I want people to remember that this is about Officer Smith and his family and the loss of a police officer that the city of Columbus had that day, so that’s where the focus needs to be. As a personal friend to him, I miss him dearly every day,” said Officer Holloway.
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