NewsLocal News

Actions

De'Lawnte Hardy facing charges for murder of grandmother, Cleveland officer Jamieson Ritter

De'Lawnte Hardy
Posted
and last updated

De'Lawnte Hardy, who shot and killed Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter, has been charged with aggravated murder for the death of his grandmother, Beatrice Porter, in Garfield Heights and Officer Ritter in Cleveland.

RELATED: Suspect in Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter's death may face charges for grandmother's fatal shooting

Hardy is facing aggravated murder charges in Cleveland for Ritter's death and was arraigned in Cleveland Municipal Court last week; he's accused of fatally shooting Ritter on the Fourth of July when several officers went to a home on East 80th Street to pick up Hardy on a felony warrant issued by Garfield Heights police for Hardy's arrest.

In court, prosecutors said Hardy stole a gun from Porter and shot her in the face. Porter's husband found her lying in a pool of her own blood.

Porter was on life support for days before dying from her injuries, authorities said.

On the Fourth of July, around 1:30 a.m., Cleveland Police officers, including Officer Ritter, were near East 80th Street and Wade Park, looking for Hardy, who was wanted for the felonious assault of Porter, authorities said.

RELATED: Cleveland police officer shot and killed overnight; suspect in custody

Ritter found Hardy as he was exiting a home, and Hardy tried to flee from police on a bike before opening fire and fatally shooting Ritter, authorities said.

Hardy was taken into custody shortly after, authorities said.

News 5 Investigators spoke with a member of Porter's family Monday. They couldn't shed any light on what was going on with Hardy or why he may have shot his own grandmother. They said Porter was a beautiful person inside and out.

We Follow Through
Want us to continue to follow through on a story? Let us know.