General Headquarters — Columbus, Ohio

 

For Immediate Release: July 30, 2003
Contact: Lt. Tony Bradshaw (614) 752-2792

 

Patrol finds Thompson dead in house
Thompson died of self-inflicted gunshot wound

COLUMBUS – Ohio State Highway Patrol Special Response Team (SRT) units entered the house on McConkey Road in Clark County this evening, and discovered Greg D. Thompson,42, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Patrol negotiators, who consulted with FBI negotiators, maintained periodic contact with Thompson yesterday, last night, and today, in an effort to come to a peaceful resolution. During the negotiations, the suspect showed signs of being suicidal and despondent.

The Patrol's SRT deployed less-than-lethal chemical gas repellants into the house, at approximately 4:45 p.m., after negotiators believed they came to a point that negotiations were ineffective.

After deploying gas, the SRT units waited to enter the house, in hopes the suspect would willfully exit, without harm to himself or officers. Later, members of the SRT entered the residence and heard three shots fired by the suspect. The troopers then found Thompson had shot himself.

This incident began yesterday at 8:09 a.m., when troopers responded to a possible stolen vehicle in the westbound rest area of Interstate 70 at the Clark County/Madison County line. The investigation escalated when Thompson fled and exited the interstate into a field. Troopers located the stolen vehicle at a nearby residence with ammunition inside of it.

A search for Thompson was immediately conducted by the Patrol’s SRT, Aviation section, troopers, and canine units from Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbus Police Department.

At approximately noon yesterday, Thompson was located in a house on McConkey Road in Clark County. Several Patrol officers, including 24 Special Response Team members, officers and investigators from the Patrol Crime Lab, several command officers, and five Patrol negotiators assembled in the area in attempt to resolve the situation peacefully.

Patrol negotiators were in periodic communication with Thompson throughout the day yesterday, overnight, and throughout today. The goal of Patrol negotiators was to gain the cooperation of Thompson to willfully exit the residence without injury to him, officers, or local residents.

Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene by the Clark County Corner.

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03-171

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