BCI investigating officer involved shooting on Niles Cortland Road
The Ohio BCI has been called to investigate an officer-involved shooting along Niles-Cortland Road NE.
The road is closed to traffic as of Friday morning, with a large police presence in the area, including officers from Howland Township and Weathersfield on scene.
Howland Township Administrator James Pantalone tells 21 News that a Howland Township officer fired his weapon and that there is a large police presence in front of the former Wahaka Taco location at 132 Niles Cortland Road.
BCI has been notified and is coming to investigate the shooting.
Howland Township Police Chief Issued the following statement:
"On 02-13-2026, at approximately 1107am, an officer-involved shooting occurred on State Route 46 in front of the Howland Township Police and Fire Station. The incident remains under active investigation. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI&I) has been contacted and is currently processing the scene and conducting an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The Howland Township Police Department will conduct an internal administrative review, including a review of department use-of-force protocols. No Howland police officers were injured during the incident. One adult male subject was transported by Howland EMS to a local hospital for treatment. His condition is not being released at this time. No additional information is available for release at this time. Further updates will be provided as they become available."
The closure affects the stretch of road between East Market Street and High Street NE. Local officials are asking drivers to avoid the area and take alternate routes to prevent delays, as the road will be closed for a significant period, according to Pantalone.
BCI told 21 News that they had been asked by the Howland Township Police Department to investigate an officer-involved critical incident on Niles Cortland Road. No officers were injured in the incident.
The investigation is active and ongoing.
