Four other officers and a sheriff’s office police dog were wounded after officers answered a 911 call about a break-in and gunfire.
RITTMAN, OH — A police sergeant, a mother and her teenage daughter were killed Sunday night when officers responding to a reported break-in and gunfire came under immediate fire at a home in northeast Ohio, authorities said.
The shooting left four people dead, including the suspected gunman, and wounded four responding officers and a Wayne County sheriff’s office police dog. State investigators took over the case Monday as Rittman, a city of about 6,000 people south of Cleveland, mourned Sgt. Scott Ries, a 10-year member of its police department.
Authorities said dispatchers received a 911 call about 9:30 p.m. Sunday reporting a break-in and shots fired at a home on Chippewa Trail. Officers from Rittman and nearby agencies responded to the area near North Metzger Avenue and Saurer Street, where officials said they were met by gunfire as they arrived. Rittman Mayor Rudy Arnold said at a Monday vigil that Ries “gave his life answering a call for people he didn’t even know.” The mayor said Ries stood between violence and the people he had sworn to protect. The shooting drew a large law enforcement response through the night and into Monday.
Rittman police identified the officer killed as Sgt. Scott Ries, 54. Wayne County Sheriff Tom Ballinger identified the two other victims as Christine McWilliams, 44, and her daughter, McKinley McWilliams, 13. Authorities identified the suspected shooter as Brandon Fazekas, 39. Officials said Fazekas also died at the scene. Ballinger said Fazekas was a former partner of Christine McWilliams. Officials had not released a full timeline of how the mother and daughter were killed or whether they were dead before officers arrived. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation and has described the case as an officer-involved shooting.
Four officers were wounded in the gunfire. Officials initially said three were from the Medina County Sheriff’s Office and one was from the Hinckley Police Department, while local reports later described all four as Medina County sheriff’s officers. Two were taken to a hospital in stable condition, and two were treated at the scene. The Wayne County sheriff’s office police dog, K9 Vick, was seriously injured. Ballinger said the dog was shot in the back hip and that part of a round was lodged near the dog’s spine. Veterinarians were working to stabilize the dog before deciding whether surgery could be done.
Ries had worked for the Rittman Police Department for 10 years. Before joining the department, he served as a Wayne County sheriff’s deputy and as an officer with the Sugar Grove Police Department in Fairfield County. Rittman officials said he joined the city’s force full time in 2018 and was promoted in 2023. The city said in a statement that Ries served with honor and courage and showed a lasting commitment to protecting others. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered U.S. and state flags lowered at public buildings in Wayne County, the Ohio Statehouse and other state buildings until sunset on the day of Ries’ funeral.
The investigation remained active Monday, with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation handling the case and multiple agencies working the scene. Officials did not announce charges, and no court process was expected against Fazekas because he died at the scene. Authorities had not released details on the weapon or weapons used, the exact number of shots fired, or whether officers fired their weapons. Investigators were expected to review 911 recordings, radio traffic, body camera footage, physical evidence from the home and witness statements from responding officers and neighbors. No funeral date for Ries had been announced by Monday evening.
Residents gathered outside the Rittman Police Department on Monday evening for a candlelight vigil as police cruisers, flags and flowers became part of the memorial for Ries. Patricia Watts, a lifelong resident, called Rittman “a little town with a big heart” and said the community’s support would not end after one day. The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio said the loss was another reminder of the danger officers face when answering calls. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said Ries would be remembered for his dedication to serving and protecting others. The deaths of Christine and McKinley McWilliams also left neighbors waiting for answers about what happened inside the home before police arrived.
By Monday night, the scene had shifted from emergency response to investigation and mourning. The next public milestones are expected to include updates from state investigators, the release of funeral arrangements for Ries and further details from the Wayne County coroner on the deaths.
Author note: Last updated July 6, 2026.