Van Wert Shooting Suspect Arrested

A Van Wert, Ohio, shooting left one person injured and another dead. Authorities report that the suspect was arrested and is now in custody. The suspect is identified as 47-year-old Tamara Menke of Ohio City.

The assault took place at around 6 pm on Thursday evening. When officers arrived on scene, they found two people with gun shot wounds. The victims were transported to Van Wert County hospital for treatment. However, Barbara Robinson later died of complications. As reported by The VW Independent, the male victim is in Fort Wayne, Indiana recovering from his injuries.

Robinson was declared dead by the county coroner, but her body was transported to Lucas County for an autopsy.

Although Menke initially fled the scene, she was eventually located and arrested by the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office. She is charged with murder and remains incarcerated.

Authorities said they are still investigating the Van Wert shooting, but they expect to add several criminal charges.

Van Wert is a small town, with fewer than 12,000 residents. Violent crime is incredibly rare in the rural community. Robinson’s murder is the fourth homicide in the last 14 years.

Eleven years ago, Van Wert was devastated by one of the top 10 tornadoes ever recorded in the northeastern United States. The F4 tornado was nearly a quarter-mile wide and destroyed 51 miles of land.

The tornado injured 19 people and left two dead. The damage cost the town nearly $50 million. In addition to numerous homes and barns, the city’s industrial complex was completely destroyed.

Wane.com reports that the town has since recovered from the destructive storm. While tornadoes are not uncommon in Van Wert, violent homicides are very rare.

Authorities have not discussed the circumstance surrounding the Van Wert shooting, but they are confident that the suspect is now in jail. The relationship between the suspect and victims is unknown.

[Image via Wikimedia]