Deputies were called to the store around midday Feb. 14 after a report of an armed man inside, according to the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office. The 911 caller indicated there were possible hostages.
When deputies arrived, two people exited the business and identified themselves as hostages. Officers tried to contact the suspect inside but received no response. Specialized response teams from Crawford, Knox, and Mt. Vernon counties were later brought in to assist.
The standoff ended when the suspect, identified as Todd Yarger, walked out of the store but ignored officers’ commands, authorities said. Deputies used less‑lethal rounds to subdue him before taking him into custody. Yarger was treated at Morrow County Hospital for minor injuries and then booked into the Morrow County Correctional Facility on a charge of aggravated robbery.
No injuries to civilians or law enforcement officers were reported.
The Morrow County Sheriff’s Office thanked several assisting agencies, including the Mt. Gilead Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Crawford County SRT (made up of the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Galion Police, and Bucyrus Police), Knox County SRT, Mt. Vernon SRT, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow County EMS.
