Man tells officer: ‘I want you to shoot me!’

GIRARD — A Liberty Township man asked a police officer to shoot him, and then ran while the officer was attempting to arrest him on theft charges Saturday.

Hubbard Township police Officer Christopher Gifford had noticed Dwayne B. Sellers Jr., 24, of Roosevelt Drive acting as if he were trying to avoid being seen when Gifford passed him on Applegate Road at 6:35 p.m. Saturday.

Gifford learned that Sellers was driving a stolen car and made a traffic stop on Logangate Road with his service revolver pointed at Sellers.

The officer ordered Sellers to keep his hands in the air and face away from the officer, but Sellers lowered his hands and faced the officer, then placed one hand near his pocket, according to a police report.

“Again, I ordered him to face away from me and put his hands up where I could see them, or I would shoot,” Gifford said. “He responded with, ‘I want you to shoot me!’” Gifford said. Then Sellers ran.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com