The suspect who died by suicide Monday, Feb. 26, along east Columbus Avenue was a charged sexual offender and officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department believe the call for service and subsequent foot chase were related to those alleged offenses.
Matthew Johnson, 38, previously of Bellefontaine, was found dead around 8 p.m. Police report Johnson’s cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
His body was found in the backyard of a residence in the 400 block of east Columbus Avenue.
The incident began earlier in the day. Officers were initially dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of north Stanley Street on a reported burglary. The victim reported to officers that her home had been entered while she was away and identified Johnson as a potential suspect.
Later on in the evening, the victim and two other witnesses reportedly again observed Johnson outside her residence, chased him from the property and contacted police.
Officers on patrol identified Johnson fleeing the area and gave chase. Police report Johnson had a handgun and that he put it to his head as they prepared to confront him. Johnson then fled between two residences on east Columbus Avenue and out of sight of officers.
Shortly thereafter, a single gunshot was reported and Johnson’s body was identified in the backyard of one of the properties.
Law enforcement secured the scene and began investigating.
Johnson had an active criminal case in Logan County Common Pleas Court on charges including rape and gross sexual imposition. A final pretrial hearing was scheduled for that case on Monday and Johnson failed to appear at that hearing. The court had issued an arrest warrant earlier in the day.
“It is believed that this series of events is related to an ongoing police investigation and prosecution of Mr. Johnson, which was also related to an order of protection,” Bellefontaine police reported.
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One person is dead in the aftermath of a police chase that ended along east Columbus Avenue, Monday, Feb. 26.
Multiple law enforcement units from the the Bellefontaine Police Department along with deputies from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office were on scene around 8 p.m. Monday at an address in the 400 block of east Columbus Avenue.
A person reportedly died by suicide, according to preliminary reports.
Dispatch traffic indicated a person was attempting to elude police on foot before the incident.
Witnesses also reported hearing at least one gunshot.