Parole system failed before deadly Green Township shooting, FOP president says

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GREEN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WXIX) - Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober said the man shot and killed by police Saturday after an abduction and chase should not have been out on parole.

Kober said Timothy Cromwell’s criminal history and the fact he was on parole show the deadly encounter did not have to happen.

“Those are typically crimes of passion. Those are some of the most volatile people we deal with. It’s concerning if he gets probation or community control. If he were behind bars, this woman wouldn’t have been abducted,” Kober said.

What happened Saturday

Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie said Saturday’s incident started with a call for an abduction. Hennie said a woman was taken from her job at Mercy West Hospital after being forced out of the driver’s seat of her own car.

Hennie said Cromwell told the woman he had no intention of going to jail and that he wanted police to kill him.

The abduction led to a 45-minute chase that ended in front of Our Lady of the Visitation School in Green Township when Cromwell crashed the car, Hennie said. Cromwell got out and approached officers with a knife, and after repeated commands to drop the weapon, officers opened fire.

Hennie said Cromwell’s family told police he had a history of mental health struggles.

Union president defends officers’ actions

Kober said the officers who fired on Cromwell had no other choice once he came at them with a knife.

“The reality is, as unfortunate as it is, if they charge at you with an edged weapon, an officer’s going to shoot you,” Kober said.

Suspect’s criminal history

According to court records, Cromwell had a lengthy criminal record, including charges for abduction, aggravated menacing, menacing by stalking, unlawful restraint and violating a protection order.

Court records show he was on parole at the time of the shooting, with two active misdemeanor warrants for unlawful restraint and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Kober said the shooting will stay with the officers involved for a long time.

“This is a life-altering event. These officers are going to deal with this the rest of their lives,” he said.

Kober also said, “If we know there is someone suicidal, and family knows someone is making threats, maybe we can investigate it further, and these things won’t happen in the future.”

FOX19 NOW has reached out to the judge who handled Cromwell’s previous cases, along with the prosecutor’s office, but has not heard back.

Cincinnati police and the Citizen Complaint Authority will continue to investigate the shooting.

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