The sound of gunfire echoed down the quiet streets of West Liberty, Ohio, in the early morning hours of June 29, 1962. Residents responded immediately, racing toward West Newell Street, where they found their chief of police, Sherman Ricketts, lying on the ground, mortally wounded.
Ricketts’ assailant, a 24-year-old career criminal named Earl Jacobs, was also down but trying to reload his weapon. William Dodge, head of the West Liberty-Salem School District at the time, arrived at the scene in time to kick the gun and an extra clip away from the wounded felon before he could fire again. Jacobs had been shot in the arm and ankle by the 63-year-old Ricketts, who had emptied his weapon despite being hit three times at close range.
West Liberty has not—and will not—forget Rickett’s bravery and sacrifice in protecting his town. In honor of the 60th anniversary of his death, members of Ricketts’ family along with Mayor Jill McKelvey and others involved broke ground Tuesday morning, April 5, for a new shelter house at Sherman Ricketts Park on Sidney Street.
“He was a character,” said Charles Ricketts, who was 19 and a student at the Ohio State University when his uncle died. “And he went down shooting.”
In contrast, Mayor McKelvey sees the park as a place for peaceful reflection. Besides the shelter house, it will have gardens designed and planted by students from a West Liberty-Salem High School environmental class and from the Benjamin Logan High School science club.
“It will be a relaxing spot for bikers and runners coming off the new trailhead,” McKelvey said, adding it will also have a water-filling station. “We anticipate it being a small, quiet park.”
Six of Sherman’s family members came to the groundbreaking ceremony, from his granddaughter to a great-niece. The last time many of the older generation saw Sherman, often called “Sherm,” was at the wedding of Ron, another nephew, and DeeDee Ricketts.
Though Jacobs escaped from prison several times, the family made sure he was never released. “We wrote letters,” DeeDee said. “We wanted to make sure he never got out. The whole town wrote letters to keep him there.”
Jacobs died in prison in March 2020.
The dedication of the shelter house and trailhead will take place at 3:30 p.m. (Ricketts died at 3:30 a.m.) on Wednesday, June 29, 2022.