LODD- P.O. John Schroeder Cleveland, OH P.D.

[Truck4 48]

8-30-06

Officials said Officer John A.J. Schroeder, along with the 1st district vice, was serving the warrant to a Wilson Santiago in the 2,000 block of West 98th near Madison Avenue when the shooting occurred.

Officials said Santiago opened the door and then slammed it shut and then fired the shots through the door.

Officials said the Schroeder, a 10-year veteran, was wearing a bullet-proof vest, but the bullet struck him under the arm pit. Officers returned fire, but the suspect was not shot.

Schroeder was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he died.

Schroeder has a 8-month-old boy and he is married. He is also from the Pittsburgh area.

Santiago, 37, who was a rape and burglary suspect, is in police custody.

The suspect fired two shots, but it is unclear how many shots were returned by law enforcement agents.

The arrest warrant charges stem from crimes allegedly committed on West 100th Street, also involved kidnapping. Santiago has not been charged yet. He has an extensive criminal history involving weapons and assault, officials said.

Four police officers have died in the last 10 years in the line of duty.

The last officer was killed six years ago. Officer Wayne Leon was killed in June 2000. Quisi Bryant was convicted in connection with his death. Bryant is on death row.

Officer Robert Clark was killed in the line of duty in 1998.

Hilary Cudnik was killed in 1996. He was attempting to stop a driver in a stolen car.