Warrensville Heights man charged with buying gun used to shoot, kill two Westerville police officers

Kaylyn Hlavaty

1:19 PM, Feb 12, 2018

5:17 PM, Feb 12, 2018

A Warrensville Heights man is facing charges for allegedly buying the weapon used in a shooting that killed two Westerville police officers over the weekend.

Officer killed while responding to 911 call in Westerville was from Massillon

Two Ohio police officers were shot and killed Saturday while responding to a suspected domestic violence call near Columbus. The woman who made the initial call to 911 called back after the officers were shot. She said her husband shot them and she was hiding in the bushes. One of the officers died at the scene. The other died at the hospital. The Westerville Police Department asked for donations for the officers' families. It said officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering were two of its best. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, 15 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty so far this year. That includes one death from a 9/11-related illness. Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN . Trending stories at Newsy.com 6 Kansas Teenagers Are Running For Governor, And Adults Aren't Happy The Equifax Breach Might Be Worse Than The Company Said 3 Dead, 4 Injured After Helicopter Crashes In Grand Canyon

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio - A Warrensville Heights man is facing charges for allegedly buying the weapon used in a shooting that killed two Westerville police officers over the weekend.

Gerald A. Lawson III, 30, was arrested by federal agents and charged with aiding and abetting a firearm to the shooting suspect and convicted felon, 30-year-old Quentin L. Smith.

Westerville officers Eric Joering, 39, and Anthony Morelli, 54, were shot and killed as they entered an apartment while responding to a 911 call that ended with a hangup.

Investigators learned Smith and Lawson had a long friendship. A witness told investigators that Smith provided money to Lawson for a firearm, giving him an extra $100 to compensate Lawson for buying the gun for him.

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A review of Lawson's social media accounts after the shooting showed three photographs of the two together.

As a convicted felon, Smith is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm. A trace of the firearm shows Lawson bought the gun in Broadview Heights.

Smith was convicted in Cuyahoga County of felony burglary and misdemeanor domestic violence charges in 2009, a conviction that sentenced him to four years in prison.

It's unclear what caused the 911 call and how or why the officers were shot, but the Associated Press reports a woman can be heard on the phone crying and saying, "won't let me in." At 12:12 p.m., an officer tells dispatch it's "all quiet right now." At 12:13 p.m., someone yells, "we have shots fired."

Smith was shot and hospitalized during the incident, according to Westerville police.