A quiet afternoon in the Cherry Lane neighborhood of Findlay turned tragic when 90-year-old Robert Charles Norton was fatally shot by local police officers after he reportedly aimed a firearm at them. What began as a response to a possible shooting escalated into a tragedy that’s now under intense scrutiny—and leaving neighbors shaken.
It began shortly before 1:50 p.m. on that Wednesday, when dispatchers received a 911 call pointing to a potential shooting at a home on 1642 Cherry Lane. Although operators tried to get more details, the caller went silent and further contact was impossible. When officers arrived, they approached the residence and made contact with an elderly man presumed to be inside.
As the front door opened, Norton was reportedly holding a gun—and officers say he pointed it directly at them. In reaction, law enforcement discharged several shots, hitting him multiple times. They immediately knelt down and tried to render aid until Hanco EMS crews got to the scene. Norton was rushed to Blanchard Valley Hospital, but despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead a short time later. No officers were harmed in the exchange.
In accordance with policy, the officers involved were placed on administrative leave pending a full-scale investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Their findings will be handed over to the Hancock County Prosecutor for review. The Findlay Police Department says they’re fully cooperating, and that body camera footage and other details will be released when the investigation wraps.
So far, it remains uncertain whether there was any actual shooting inside the home before officers arrived—the event that triggered the 911 call is still being probed. Investigators continue to interview witnesses and comb through the property to piece together precisely what led to the deadly confrontation.
This is not the first time the BCI is handling a police shooting case this year in Ohio, and the department has asked for anyone with information to step forward. Meanwhile, residents of Cherry Lane are grappling with shock. In a place where quiet afternoons are the norm, the violent end to a life has left neighbors uneasy—and many with questions they hope will be answered soon.
No final judgement has been made, no official narrative fully settled. But for now, a 90-year-old man’s life has ended, officers await the outcome of scrutiny, and a city watches and waits.
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