Ohio patrolman fatally shot responding to 911 call

Associated Press - March 16, 2010 10:55 AM ET

ELYRIA, Ohio (AP) - A police officer in northeast Ohio has been fatally shot after responding to a 911 call from a woman who said a neighbor exposed himself to her child and kicked in a window.

Elyria (eh-LEER'-ee-uh) patrolman James Kerstetter was killed Monday night. Police say in a statement that other officers who responded to help shot and killed the suspect.

Police say the suspect, 58-year-old Ronald Palmer, shot Kerstetter when he went inside Palmer's house. Police said Palmer then ran out of the house and was shot outside.

Police Chief Duane Whitely says the other officers tried to treat the wounded patrolman, but he was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Whitely says Kerstetter was on the force 15 years and was a sheriff's deputy before that.