NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Jan. 14, 2026) — A New Philadelphia police detective narrowly escaped injury Tuesday morning after a suspect allegedly grabbed the officer’s firearm and discharged it during a struggle behind an apartment complex on East High Avenue near the airport.
Captain Rocky Dusenberry said officers were called just after 8 a.m. for reports of a suspicious man who appeared to be sleeping — or possibly deceased — against a tree in a resident’s backyard.
Police later learned the man was wanted in Stark County for armed robberies the previous night and for a parole violation. When questioned, he initially gave officers a false name. However, he was wearing clothing from his landscaping job, and Dusenberry contacted the employer to verify his identity…