The gunman, 43-year-old Thomas Hartless, and employees Marlina Medrano and 48-year-old Cindy Krantz, were found dead inside.
When sheriff's deputies got there, Police Chief Steven Eric Disario, 36, was found shot to death in the street. Officials said during a news conference Disario had been police chief for three weeks. He was a father of six children, with a seventh on the way, the sheriff said. Disario was responding to the active shooter call.
The gunman was in a wooded area behind the nursing home when he encountered two passers-by, whom he temporarily took hostage. Three other people, including the shooter, are dead.
The sheriff said he didn't know the motive for the shootings, or whether the gunman knew any of the slain.
Pine Kirk Care Center is a 24-bed facility in a converted residential residence, said Peter Van Runkle, executive director of the Ohio Health Care Association, a nursing-home industry group.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich tweeted that he was "shocked & pained by the horrific shooting in Kirkersville, ask for prayers for those injured". As we begin police week, we remember the courageous service of all police officers, who put their lives on the line every day to protect us.
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If a PC version is announced and released this year however, it's hard to see it not impacting the success of Wild West Online . Unlike Rockstar's games, however, Wild West Online only has player-versus-player battles; there won't be NPCs coming after you.
Police found some of the home's 23 residents hiding in the building, Thorp said. "I guess the only peace of mind is that the threat is over".
Kirkersville Elementary School was placed on lockdown as a result of the situation, 10TV reported.
Kirkersville is a village in central OH with a population of around 500 that is around 24 miles (39 km) east of Columbus. After spotting the suspect, he engaged with the alleged shooter, Thorp said. However, NBC4 reporter Dan Pearlman says all of the students who attend classes there have been safely moved to Watkins Middle Schools.
The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation is leading the probe into what happened.
Kasich ordered flags flown at half-staff at the Statehouse and at all public buildings and grounds throughout Licking County in central OH, where the shootings happened.
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