Welfare check ends with deputy wounded and suspect dead

MANSFIELD, Ohio – A welfare check turned into an exchange of gunfire that left one man dead and a sheriff’s deputy wounded in Ohio, authorities said Friday.

Two deputies were sent to a home to check on a person around 11:30 p.m. Thursday, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office said. The deputies left when they could not find the person.

The sheriff’s office then received a call for the deputies to return.

“At some point they made contact with the person they were checking on and there was an exchange of gunfire,” said Maj. Joe Masi.

According to the sheriff’s office, Craig Wright shot Deputy Michael Pawlikowski. Deputy Justin Ady returned fire and shot Wright.

Wright later died at a hospital.

Pawlikowski was hospitalized with injuries that were not considered life threatening, the sheriff’s office said. Ady was not injured.

State authorities are investigating. Both deputies were placed on administrative leave as required by the sheriff’s department’s policy.