Officer James Anthony Kerstetter, 43, was killed in the line of duty on March 15, 2010, after responding to a disturbance at a residence on 18th Street in Elyria, Ohio. A mother at the scene had reported a neighbor exposing himself to her child and breaking a window. When Kerstetter and other officers arrived, the suspect, Ronald W. Palmer, opened fire. Kerstetter was wounded and later pronounced dead at EMH Regional Medical Center. Palmer was shot and killed by responding officers at the scene, and no further arrests followed.

Kerstetter had served 15 years with the Elyria Police Department and previously worked with the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office. He was survived by his wife, Tammy, and three daughters, Misty, Shelby, and Bailey, and was posthumously promoted to Sergeant. The community and his colleagues remember him as a dedicated and honorable officer.

If anyone has information about Kerstetter’s final call or the events on 18th Street, please share what you know.