KENT, Ohio — The Kent Police Department is reporting that two police officers were shot during an officer-involved shooting early Saturday morning following an attempted home invasion.
According to KPD, the incident happened in the 1500 block of East Summit Street near Loop Road around 8 a.m.
In a statement released on Monday, Kent police said that it received a call from a young female inside the residence indicating that an unknown man was attempting to enter the residence. Upon arriving, two Kent police officers were immediately engaged by the 40-year-old suspect, Dante Dixon, who was armed with a handgun.
Listen to the chilling 9-1-1 call below:
As the struggle continued inside the home, Kent PD Officer Lenny Kunka was shot in the hand, Kent PD Officer Kyle Auckland was shot in the chest and the suspect was shot in the abdomen. Even after being shot, Dixon fought and resisted but was ultimately controlled and handcuffed by multiple officers.
While the extent of Officer Kunka's hand is not known at this time, he was released from the hospital on Saturday. Officer Auckland was also released from the hospital on Saturday, as his bulletproof vest prevented the gunshot from penetrating his chest.
Watch the dashcam video below of the Kent State police responding to the call:
Dixon, meanwhile, had surgery for the gunshot wound to his abdomen and was discharged from the hospital Saturday. He was placed under arrest on charges of Aggravated Burglary and Felonious Assault on Police Officers.
An investigation discovered that the young female who called 9-1-1 was a 14-year-old babysitter who was in the home with a 1-year-old child. Dixon is known by a resident who was not home at the time. It remains unknown what his intentions were upon arriving at the residence.
"These officers selflessly put themselves in harms way to protect two innocent children from a gunman," the Kent Police said in a statement. "We could not be more proud of these courageous and heroic officers, Officer Lenny Kunka and Officer Kyle Auckland."
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