One man was burned when a honey oil extraction operation in a marijuana grow house exploded and started a fire in Costa Mesa

Suspected hash oil lab fire in Costa Mesa injures 1


Suspected hash oil lab fire in Costa Mesa injures 1

By Anthony Mendoza | anmendoza@scng.com | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: May 11, 2017 at 10:24 pm | UPDATED: May 12, 2017 at 11:15 am


COSTA MESA — A man suspected of running an illegal butane honey oil extraction lab suffered moderate burns when his operation caught fire on Thursday, May 11, authorities said.

The fire began after 9 p.m. at the 2200 block of Avalon Street and was contained to the backyard. The fire was put out within 20 minutes, Costa Mesa Fire Department Capt. Chris Coates said.













One man was burned when a honey oil extraction operation in a marijuana grow house exploded and started a fire in Costa Mesa on Thursday night. The preliminary report is that there was an explosion while the man was extracting tetrahydrocannabinol from marijuana leaves to produce a smoking product known as honey oil. (Photo by Southern Counties News Service)

The man is also suspected of having an extensive marijuana growing operation at the home, according to Coates.

The man was transferred to Orange County Global Medical Center with injuries not considered life-threatening.

It is unclear whether the man owns the home or is a tenant. No other people were in the house at the time of the fire, Coates said.

No charges have been filed. The Costa Mesa Police and Fire Department are investigating the scene.

GAS EXPLOSIONS CAUSED DURING THE EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM MARIHUANA PLANTS ARE ON THE RISE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

See one of our articles here:

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2014/11/gas-explosions-caused-during-extraction.html 

GAS EXPLOSIONS CAUSED DURING THE EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM MARIHUANA PLANTS ARE ON THE RISE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

The Rise of Hash Oil Extraction Explosions

The national media is increasingly reporting on cases of explosions due to the production of honey oil, also known as hash oil or dabs, across the country. The production process uses butane, and explosions from honey oil production have blown walls out, moved houses off foundations, and caused people severe burns.   
While most home labs are small, there are reports of bulk operations in which hundreds of cans of butane can be on-site. Any size lab is a serious danger; first responders should familiarize themselves with the signs of such labs: butane canisters, Pyrex dishes, marijuana, coffee filters, and an extraction vessel that could either be glass or a PVC pipe combination that resembles a pipe bomb.

It seems that every week or so there is a gas explosion inside somebody’s home or inside a car or a bathroom that have been caused during the extraction of oils from marihuana plants.  Just two days ago, another such explosion occurred in Tigard, Oregon.  In that explosion, two men are in serious condition after police say they blew up a gas station explosion in Tigard early Sunday morning while trying to make hash oil with marijuana and butane. 

The explosion caused significant damage to the 76 gas station bathroom on Greenburg Road, and fire extended through a false ceiling.  The two Tigard men who were making hash oil inside bathroom initially tried to put out the fire themselves and they suffered severe burns; they are listed in serious condition.

Investigators determined that a heat gun used to evaporate the butane caused the fire.  Hash oil, also known as honey oil or shatter, is heated and inhaled in what's known as "dabbing”, a popular form of smoking marijuana.  To make it, highly flammable butane or another suitable solvent such as isopropyl alcohol, is poured through marijuana to extract the cannabinoids, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and other chemicals from the plant matter.  
 Hash oil is typically made by packing the castoff leaves and stems of pot plants into a pipe and pouring the highly flammable butane through it.  The solvent is then evaporated, leaving a golden color sticky residue that resembles oil or honey.  Of course these butane vapors linger in the room where the extraction took place.  Only some pretty stupid people would attempt such a process inside an unventilated room.

It typically doesn't take much during the extraction process to cause an explosion, especially in an unventilated small space such as bathroom or inside a car.  Anything from static electricity to a wall socket can spark a potentially deadly explosion.  Or, the flame from the heat gun to subsequently cook the oil can explode the lingering butane fumes.

In another major case that occurred last year, seven Seattle, WA people accused of causing explosions while extracting hash oil from marijuana were charged Tuesday in federal court.  The explosions -- which happened in Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle and Puyallup -- injured a number of bystanders and caused thousands of dollars in damage. 

Without proper ventilation, butane fumes can linger. All it takes is a spark of static electricity to ignite a room.  Former Bellevue Mayor Nan Campbell was hospitalized for a broken pelvis she suffered trying to escape the flames.  She later died following complications after her hospitalization, according to prosecutors.  Two other apartment residents suffered shattered bones as they had to jump from their upper level apartments.

These deadly explosions are reckless and preventable acts.  Unfortunately, as marijuana cultivation activities increase, explosions will continue.  This is a dangerous threat. 

FEMA Alert on the Fire and Explosion Hazards

Last year, FEMA posted an alert in its emergency services bulletin titled “Hash Oil Explosions Increasing Across US.” Alongside more quotidian warnings of cyber terrorism and industrial vapor clouds, it described an uptick in explosions at apartments and hotel rooms involving “a process using butane to extract and concentrate compounds from marijuana,” destructive incidents that FEMA warned could even be mistaken for pipe bomb or meth lab explosions.

A clear, golden brown cannabis derivative also known as honey oil, shatter, wax and “earwax,” butane hash oil (BHO) has some distinct advantages over traditional marijuana: It has very little smell, either in its solid form or when vaporized, is very portable, and can achieve intense effects with small amounts.  A pound of marijuana typically generates 1/10 to 1/15 of a pound of hash oil.

BHO has been gaining in popularity in the past three years.  But as its popularity grows, so do the number of hash oil enthusiasts eager to attempt their own homebrew BHO, a process that usually involves the highly flammable solvent butane or isopropyl alcohol.  The result in a number of cases, as the FEMA bulletin notes, has been “fires and explosions [that] have blown out windows, walls, and caused numerous burn injuries.”

Hash oil is typically produced by filling a cylindrical glass or stainless steel canister with pot (Bed Bath and Beyond’s metal turkey basters are a popular choice), and flooding the canister with a solvent — usually butane — that strips the plant matter of its cannabinoid-containing oils. 
The resulting mixture of psychotropic plant oil and chemicals is then purified to remove traces of the solvent. One common method of butane removal includes boiling it off in a hot water bath, while another involves the use of a vacuum pump and vacuum chamber to lower butane’s boiling point, pulling butane from the oil.

What makes it dangerous is not so much the extraction process itself, but rather the problem of improper butane ventilation.  Butane is highly flammable and it tends to sink, meaning that if you use it indoors or don’t ventilate well, you’ll run into serious trouble.  Let some butane puddle in your living room, throw in a thoughtless spark from a cigarette, stove, or — dare I suggest — bong hit, and suddenly your apartment is missing a wall.

That’s allegedly what happened in January, when three people were injured after a hash oil extraction gone wrong blew through the walls of a San Diego hotel.  A few months earlier, an Oregon man suffered burns in a similar explosion that blew out the windows in his apartment and sent him to the hospital. 
Although it’s perfectly possible to make hash oil safely, such explosions are the result of a relatively small number of hash oil producers who fail to take even the most basic precautions.  The number one precaution is to never make oil indoors.

Hash-oil operation suspected in fatal San Bernardino County explosion

First responders were on the scene of what was initially believed to be a gas explosion at a home in the community of Muscoy in San Bernardino County. The blast killed one person and left two others in critical condition.

Authorities who say they found significant amounts of marijuana and butane in the debris of a blown-up home believe a hash-oil operation may have caused a massive explosion that killed a man and injured two others.

Those inside the makeshift home may have been producing "butane honey oil" when it exploded, said Cindy Bachman, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Firefighters sifting through the ruins found the man's remains in what appeared to be a basement, she said.

The explosion occurred at 6 p.m. Wednesday in a home located in the rear of a property in the 3000 block of Gray Street in Muscoy.

Firefighters found a man outside the home with severe burns, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department. A woman was partially covered by debris when firefighters found her.

She suffered a serious head injury as well as blunt-force trauma, fire officials said.

The basement area sustained significant damage during the blast, causing the poorly constructed home to collapsed into it.

"The blast was so significant that the freshly paved road in the front of the surrounding homes actually buckled in several places," the Fire Department said in a statement.

Firefighters first believed the explosion was caused by a gas leak, but later determined it stemmed from illegal drug activity.

"Butane honey oil” is a waxy substance that can produce a strong high when inhaled. It doesn't have the potent odor of marijuana.

Because hash oil has gained popularity, some beginners have attempted to make it in their homes. But that has resulted in several explosions, officials say.

Two men accused of operating a hash-oil extraction laboratory were burned in a similar explosion in March in the city of Commerce.

A suspected drug lab at a home in Malibu exploded in April, injuring one person, authorities said.

Suspected 'hash oil' lab explodes in Malibu home; 1 man burned

A suspected drug lab at a home in Malibu caught fire and exploded Tuesday, injuring one person who had to be transported to the hospital via helicopter, authorities said.

Firefighters responded to the home in the 1200 block of Encinal Canyon Road shortly before 6:15 p.m. to find it fully engulfed in flames, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Authorities later discovered the substance “honey oil” -- a type of marijuana oil -- at the residence, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Fray Lupian told KTLA-TV.

A 25-year-old man who was burned in the explosion and ensuing fire was airlifted to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center to be treated for his injuries, authorities said.

The man, who was not immediately identified, would likely be arrested on drug-related charges after recovering, Lupian said.

A hazardous materials crew was still at the scene shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday, according to the fire department.

“Butane honey oil,” also called “wax,” has been a growing trend in the marijuana market, officials said. Dabs of it can be vaporized and inhaled without the smoke and pungent odor of marijuana, an act called “dabbing.” The method produces a stronger high even among those who have strong tolerance to cannabis.

The widespread popularity of the waxy substance has led many to attempt the extraction method, often resulting in injuries.

Two men suspected of operating what authorities said was a “butane honey oil extraction laboratory,” in which marijuana is turned into the "hash oil," were burned in a similar explosion last month in the city of Commerce.

One of several butane bottles located inside the home may have exploded and caused the fire, authorities said.

In January, several apartment units in El Cajon were damaged after what authorities said was a hash oil explosion. Two men who were allegedly operating the hash oil laboratory were severely burned in the incident.

Earlier this month in Glendale, police reported that they busted a hash oil operation, saying that the potential for a large explosion at the lab was "huge."

Hash Oil Lab Explosion Destroys Apartment

Two people were severely burned in the explosion, according to sheriff's officials

Friday, Feb 21, 2014 • Updated at 6:07 AM PST

Two people were rushed to the hospital after a reported hash oil explosion in El Cajon. 

The San Miguel Fire District received calls about an explosion just after 2:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Brabham Street. 

When they arrived, they found one apartment destroyed and several others damaged. Two apartment residents were severely burned and were taken to the hospital.

The San Diego Sheriff's Department said investigators found a hash oil lab had exploded. 

Residents of the apartment had to be evacuated for a time. 

Sheriff's deputies and fire officials remained on scene to investigate.

Two men injured in suspected 'hash oil' explosion in Commerce

Los Angeles County fire hazmat technician Terry Wilkinson surveys the damage from an explosion caused by a suspected drug manufacturing process in the city of Commerce. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Two men suffered burn-related injuries in a suspected hash oil explosion in the city of Commerce, authorities said.

Firefighters and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies responded around 8:10 p.m. to the 2300 block of Ayers Avenue regarding a call of a tree or transformer on fire, but when they arrived, they discovered that a home was ablaze.

The extent of the burn injuries suffered by the two men -- ages 18 and 21 -- were not immediately known.

It's the illegality of this stuff that leads idiots to try to make it in "secret" labs. legalize it, there's no more reason to hide it, and it'll be done safely, simply because nobody wants to blow themselves up if they can help it.

Arson investigators determined that the men -- who were not immediately identified -- had allegedly been operating a “butane honey oil extraction laboratory,” in which marijuana is turned into “hash oil” or “honey oil.”

One of several butane bottles located inside the home may have exploded and caused the fire, authorities said.

“Butane honey oil,” also called “wax,” has been a growing trend in the marijuana market.  Dabs of it can be vaporized and inhaled without the smoke and pungent odor of weed, an act called “dabbing.” The method produces a stronger high even among those who have strong tolerance to cannabis.

The widespread popularity of the waxy substance has led many to attempt the extraction method, often resulting in injuries.

In January, several apartment units in El Cajon were damaged after a hash oil explosion. Two men who were allegedly operating the “hash oil” laboratory were severely burned in the incident.

In April, a 22-year-old man suffered second- and third-degree burns on his face and hands when an explosion tore through his home in Cottonwood.

Shasta County authorities told the Los Angeles Times the man was allegedly using butane to extract oil from marijuana leaves. At the time, it was the third explosion for the county in the last calendar year.

Authorities said the city of Commerce hash oil explosion caused about $300,000 in damage to the single-story home.

Narcotics-related charges are pending for the two men who remain hospitalized, the sheriff’s department said.

An investigation into the alleged drug lab remained ongoing. 

Despite public service announcements, warning signs, barriers and even gates at flood-prone crossings, the majority of flood deaths in America involve people trying to drive through water on flooded roads.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Christina Thompson was joking when she texted her dad last month after days of unrelenting thunderstorms near his rural southern Missouri home: "Are you getting washed away?"

She didn't realize that hours earlier, the 69-year-old retiree had been swept to his death as he tried to cross a flooded patch of road to get home. William Floyd's body was found five days later, still in his 2009 Kia Spectra, which was wedged onto a log with only its bumper and rear tires visible.

"Why would he do that?" Thompson asked of her father's ill-fated decision to drive through the water. "I was just wondering, 'What was he thinking?' My dad was smarter than that. It just didn't make sense."

Such tragedies are all too common. Despite public service announcements, warning signs, barriers and even gates at flood-prone crossings, the majority of flood deaths in America involve people trying to drive through water on flooded roads.

"It is frustrating," said Todd Shea, warning coordinator meteorologist for the National Weather Service in La Crosse, Wisconsin. "It gets back to human nature. Sometimes you look at these cases and you just have to shake your head."
Data compiled by Shea shows that 595 Americans have died in floodwater since 2011. A few fell into rivers or drowned while fishing on flooded waterways. And some children died playing too close to high water. But 61 percent of victims died in vehicles, often after driving around barriers or ignoring signs warning them to turn back.

Texas, with its vast rural areas and many waterways, has had more flood-related deaths than any other state since 2011. Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said too many people underestimate the power of water and "think emergencies and disasters happen to somebody else."

When torrential rains in late April led to flooding across Missouri, five people, including Floyd, died driving onto flooded roads. The death toll would have been worse if not for hundreds of water rescues.

Among those rescues were nine calls in Joplin, the Missouri town devastated by a 2011 tornado that killed 153 people. Fire Chief Jim Furgerson said rescuers put their own lives on the line to save people in flooded cars.

"We take precautions with life vests, we have ropes, but you don't know if there's something hidden in the water that's going to cut you or catch your ankle," Furgerson said.

Kidd was involved in countless water rescues earlier in his career when he was a firefighter in San Antonio.

"We would ask people, 'Why did you drive around a barricade?' or, 'Why did you drive into the water?'" he said. "The number one answer was, 'I didn't know any other way to get to where I was going.' We've got to change that mindset."

Officials throughout the U.S. are trying. Several state agencies and the National Weather Service have produced public service announcement videos warning that just a foot of water can sweep away and car and 18-24 inches of water can do the same to a larger vehicle. Several states place "When Flooded Turn Around Don't Drown" warning signs provided by the weather service at flood-prone crossings.

Many cities and towns, including Joplin, have installed gates that block passage at flood-prone areas when the water rises. Missouri and other states use electronic highway billboards to warn drivers of dangerous areas. Flash flood alerts can be sent to cellphones.

Kim and Shea said they are hopeful technology will eventually go even further, such as phone alerts warning drivers they are approaching a flooded-out road.

Experts agree, though, that common sense must prevail.

Thompson still grapples with why her dad - a former Boeing worker and "master tinkerer" who could fix anything - opted to take back roads home from a wedding reception that night, driving down a steep gravel road into eventual disaster.

"When there's ice and snow, you stay home. Why is rain so different? A road is still impaired," she said. "It's important, too, that people understand: This doesn't happen very often, but we forget that it can happen. People underestimate it, and that's sad."

Dramatic fire erupts at PODS storage facility in Compton, California

Firefighters from multiple agencies were battling a dramatic blaze that erupted Friday morning at a storage facility in Compton, officials said.

Friday, May 12, 2017 08:01AM
COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- Firefighters from multiple agencies were battling a dramatic blaze that erupted Friday morning at a storage facility in Compton, officials said.

The fire broke out shortly after 5 a.m. at a PODS location in the 200 block of Manville Street, according to the Compton Fire Department. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Los Angeles County and Downey firefighters were assisting at the scene, where massive flames and billowing smoke were visible from the nearby 91 Freeway. Traffic was backed up on the 91, west of the 710 Freeway.

The Portable On Demand Storage (PODS) containers, which are also used for moving, were stacked in columns of three and four at the site. It was unclear if they were empty at the time of the incident.

The cause of the fire was unknown.

Former LA County Sheriff Lee Baca sentenced to 3 years in prison for obstruction of an FBI investigation into abuses at the jails he ran

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has been sentenced to three years in prison for obstructing an FBI investigation into abuses at the jails he ran.

Updated 1 hr 22 mins ago
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has been sentenced to three years in prison for obstructing an FBI investigation into abuses at the jails he ran.

Baca, 74, was sentenced on Friday, two months after he was found guilty of obstructing justice, conspiring to obstruct justice and lying to federal authorities.

The FBI was looking into possible wrongdoing within the jail system - specifically inmate abuse inside the men's central jail.


Baca has vowed to appeal his conviction - no matter his sentence.

Baca abruptly resigned in 2014 as the probe netted several underlings who plotted to hide an inmate informant from his FBI handler when they learned the jails were being investigated.

The crimes tarnished Baca's reputation as a man on a mission to promote education and rehabilitation behind bars and who preached tolerance and understanding between people of different cultures and faiths.

=============



For more than 15 years, Lee Baca was one of Los Angeles' most prominent politicians and law enforcement leaders.

But on Wednesday, Baca's legacy as the former sheriff of Los Angeles County took a dark turn when he agreed to plead guilty to a single charge of making false statements as part of a sweeping federal investigation into corruption and abuse in his department.

Baca resigned under pressure in 2014. But the criminal charge still stunned some observers, who reacted with a mixture of disappointment and gratification that justice was served.

“It is an unfortunate end to lengthy career in public service,” said Richard E. Drooyan, general counsel to the Citizen Committee on Jail Violence that examined the misconduct inside the county system. “This is a very significant event to charge and convicted a sheriff at the highest level.”



“What this says is the Department of Justice viewed this as a systemic problem of violence and not just a problem with individual deputies. They wanted to hold people accountable all the way to the top,” Drooyan said.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich added: “This sad saga is now over for Lee. Hopefully the remaining prosecutions will end shortly so the Sheriff's Department can move forward."

Peter Eliasberg, legal director of American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said Baca demonstrated arrogance and a belief that he was untouchable and ultimately he was caught not for the crimes of deputies abusing inmates, but for covering up those crimes.



“There were terrible things that went on in the jails for a long time," he said. “In terms of people in the jails, what happened to inmates was horrible. He is in large part to blame for that."

Chuck Jackson, a former sheriff’s chief who oversaw custody operations before the abuse allegations, said Baca contributed to his own downfall because he listened to and promoted the wrong people and they became his information network and advisors.

“Lee is loyal to a fault,” Jackson said.

Jackson said Baca did many good things to improve the department, but allowing his friends to do what they liked in the jails caught up with him. “It is too bad …. He got and made some bad decisions at the end of his career," he added.

In a plea agreement filed in federal court Wednesday morning, Baca admitted to lying twice about his involvement in hiding an inmate from FBI agents who were investigating brutality and corruption by sheriff's deputies in the county jails.

In fact, Baca ordered the inmate to be isolated, putting his second-in-command, Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, in charge of executing the plan, the agreement said.

Baca also admitted that he lied when he said that he was unaware that his subordinates planned to approach an FBI special agent at her home. In a meeting the day before that meeting, Baca directed the subordinates to approach the agent, stating that they should "do everything but put handcuffs" on her, the agreement said.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors have agreed not to seek a prison sentence of more than six months for Baca, said Eileen Decker, U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, at a news conference Wednesday.

Baca's guilty plea "demonstrates that the illegal behavior in the Sheriff's Department went to the very top of this organization," Decker said. "More importantly, it illustrates that those who foster and then try to hide a corrupt culture will be held accountable."

==============

Former Sheriff Lee Baca was found guilty of obstructing an investigation into corruption within Los Angeles County jails.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca was found guilty Wednesday afternoon in his retrial on obstructing an FBI investigation into corruption within his jails charges.

Baca was charged with helping to obstruct the 2011 FBI investigation into guards who savagely beat inmates in his jails and lying about trying to obstruct the probe.

The 74-year-old was found guilty on all three charges that he faced. Baca's charges carry up to 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

"This verdict sends a clear message that no one is above the law," acting U.S. Attorney Sandra Brown said. "He knew right from wrong and he made the decision. That decision was to commit a crime."

Following the verdict, Baca thanked his family, friends, legal team and supporters.

"I disagree with the particular verdict," Baca said. "You've known me for a long time. I am a faith-based person. My mentality is always optimistic and I look forward to winning on appeal."

"I love the people of Los Angeles County. I love the United States of America and I love diversity," he continued. "It's just a privilege to be alive."

Baca did not take any questions following the verdict.

Wednesday was the jury's second full day of deliberations. A jury in Baca's first trial was deadlocked 11-1 in favor of acquittal and a mistrial was declared in December.

In closing arguments Monday at the second trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lizabeth Rhodes said "when defendant Baca learned the FBI and a federal grand jury was investigating, he obstructed and when he learned the FBI has turned its focus on him, he lied."

According to Rhodes, the obstruction that led to convictions for many of Baca's underlings, including his top lieutenant, "started from the top and went all the way down."

Defense attorney Nathan Hochman told jurors they heard "no evidence Sheriff Baca gave orders to obstruct the FBI."

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy James Sexton, who testified against Baca at both trials, served four months in prison for his role in blocking the FBI probe.

He said the deputies were just following orders.

"Nobody wins when a verdict like this is delivered. Mr. Baca destroyed a lot beyond the public trust and law enforcement partnerships. The damage Baca caused to families and mindset of deputies just trying to do their job is immeasurable," Sexton said.

"Baca authored the LASD Core Values that demanded wisdom, common sense, integrity and courage. Today's verdict may have been averted if he had thought about those principles before issuing those orders in September of 2011," he continued.

Baca, who's in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, was a major national law enforcement figure and a mostly popular sheriff in his 15 years at the head of the nation's largest sheriff's department.

He resigned in 2014 as the scandal plagued the jail system.

Baca appeared to have escaped the fate of more than a dozen underlings indicted by federal prosecutors until a year ago, when he pleaded guilty to a single count of making false statements to federal authorities about what role he played in efforts to thwart the FBI.

A deal with prosecutors called for a sentence no greater than six months. When a judge rejected that as too lenient, Baca withdrew his guilty plea and prosecutors hit him with two additional charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Police Chief Steven Eric Disario and 2 employees of the Pine Kirk Care Center killed by gunman who then committed suicide in Kirkersville, Ohio

Sheriff: Gunman kills Ohio police chief, 2 nursing home workers



Updated 1 hr 47 mins ago
KIRKERSVILLE, Ohio -- A gunman fatally shot the police chief of an Ohio village and two nursing home employees Friday, and the suspected gunman was also found dead, a sheriff said.

Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp identified the slain police chief as Steven Eric Disario, who headed the Kirkersville Police Department.

Disario, 36, had only been on the job for about three weeks, Thorp said. He said the chief was a father of six children, with a seventh on the way.

"It's a hard day for all of us," Thorp said.

Disario was responding to a report of a man with a gun, and his last radio communication said he had the suspect in sight, Thorp said.

Responding officers found Disario on the street and then investigated a report of a gunman in the nearby Pine Kirk Care Center, Thorp said.

Two employees of the center and the suspected gunman were found dead inside the nursing home, the sheriff said.

He said police weren't immediately able to positively identify the gunman and were trying to determine what, if any, relationship he had with the nursing home.

The shooting closed down the main street in the village, which was flooded with police officers from several surrounding agencies and with ambulances.

The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation is leading the probe into what happened.

===========

 Pine Kirk Care Center

 Pine Kirk Care Center

Pine Kirk Care Center in Kirkersville, OH, is rated 3.3 stars overall. It is a very small facility with 24 beds and has for-profit, individual ownership. Pine Kirk Care Center is not part of a continuing care retirement community. It participates in Medicare and Medicaid. 

205 East Main St.

PO Box 221

Kirkersville, Oh. 43033

740-927-3209

740-927-4822 fax

• Medicare and Medicaid Certified Skilled Nursing
• Admissions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Full range of therapeutic and social activities
• Family interaction is encouraged with the interdisciplinary team for care planning
• Family-like atmosphere in a small town setting
• Social activities including outings using our own transportation system
• Secured Facility
• Competitive daily rates

Pine Kirk & Utica Care Centers are licensed by the State of Ohio.  We accept both men and women for extended and short term care.  Each center is fully staffed to meet all of the physical, mental and emotional needs of our residents.

Pine Kirk & Utica Care Centers are able to accept difficult to place patients. We are equipped to handle Special Needs Patients with challenges such as brain injury, a behavior management problem, mental health issue, dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Below is the map link. Use the zoom feature to get a larger map area or just click on the View Larger Map and you will be able to insert your location and get directions directly to our Care Center.