No discipline coming for deputy in fatal shooting, sheriff says

The state’s report on the shooting death isn’t
complete, the sheriff says.

WARREN — Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas Altiere says there won’t be disciplinary action against a deputy who fatally wounded a man in Mecca Township on Dec. 22, 2007.

Altiere said Thursday that no action will be taken against Deputy Anthony Diehl in the shooting of John W. McGrath Jr., 48, of Saddler Krohler Road, Farmdale.

An internal investigation by the department’s internal affairs unit has been completed and found no wrongdoing on the part of Diehl, the sheriff said.

A probe by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation has found, so far, that the deputy followed the correct procedure and didn’t do anything improperly, Altiere said a BCI representative told him earlier this week.

The sheriff said BCI hasn’t completed the time line of the shooting nor has it received from the Cuyahoga County’s coroner’s office the toxicology report of McGrath.

McGrath died when the deputy was called outside a house at 6868 Hoagland Blackstub Road in Mecca.

At the time, Altiere said Diehl responded to a call of two people trying to shoot the lock off the house. When Diehl was there, he didn’t find anyone.

Diehl, the sheriff has said, responded again to a report by neighbors of two people breaking into the house. When Diehl ordered McGrath to stop, McGrath turned and fired at the deputy. The shot missed and Diehl returned fire, striking McGrath twice in the torso.

A woman who was with McGrath at the time was released after questioning.