CLEVELAND, OH – A Cleveland police officer
committed suicide hours after another Cleveland police officer was
murdered while on duty.
Officer Nicholas Sabo, age 38, wrote several posts on Facebook
late Thursday and early Friday. His posts referenced the death of
Detective James Skernivitz, the officer who was shot and killed
while on duty.
Sabo took his own life in his North Ridgeville home.
The Lorain County Coroner confirmed Sabo died of a
self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police are still investigating what
led Sabo to take his own life.
Sabo has been with the Cleveland department since 2013. He
worked as a police officer near Columbus before moving to
Cleveland. Det. Skernivitz worked with Cleveland since 1998. Both
men were married and had children.
Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said he was still going
through the process to understand what would make Sabo take his own
life. He knew the two offers were collogues, and knew each other,
but wasn’t aware if they ever worked closely together on a
case.
Williams said:
“I don’t think anybody out there can really
understand what the division is going through with the loss of an
officer in the line of duty, especially to violence, is a terrible
tragedy. But two officers in one night is really
bad.”
Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President Jeff
Follmer said he was “shocked” by Sabo’s death:
“We’re still trying to understand
it.”
Sabo was featured in 2016 for a story on WJW-TV. He was part
of a group handing out candy and toys to kids in Cleveland. This
was an act to honor of Wayne Leon. Leon was a Cleveland officer who
was shot and killed on-duty in June 2000.
Sabo’s death occurred shortly after Skernivitz, and a
50-year-old police informant were murdered on West 65th Street near
Storer Avenue. Their death was caused by gunshot wounds.
Skernivitz was conducting an undercover investigation into the
area. Scott Dingess, 50, was an informant working with Skernivitz,
according to five police sources. Cuyahoga County Medical
Examiner’s Office. He died at 10:43 p.m. on Thursday according to
WYKC.
Three people fired several shots at the duo as they sat in
Skernivitz’s unmarked police car. Skernivitz was shot once in the
chest and Dingess was hit several times,
according to the sources.
Williams said that two teenagers and an adult were arrested in
connection with the investigation. All three were in jail for
unrelated warrants. Formal charges had not been filed in the
case.
Williams added of Skernivitz:
“Jimmy was a great police officer. He was what we call
a policeman’s policeman. He worked hard for the city that he
loved worked hard to take care of his family.
And he worked hard to take care of his fellow officers.
‘Skern,’ as a lot of officers called him, he was the one we
want to duplicate over and over again because he did the work the
way it should have been done.â€
Now they need our help:
The social media response to the death of these men has been
astounding. The Cleveland Police Facebook post has garnered 451
comments and 1.2K shares.
Some of the comments left were:
“Cleveland PD is like no other. This department is
very strong, very tough and believes in taking care of it’s own.
As much as the families are hurting, they will not be
forgotten.
They will need that strength moving forward. I’m
sending prayers, love, strength, comfort, peace and healing to the
families. Officer Sabo and Skern, may God Grant you Eternal Peace.
We got your six from here.â€
Another added:
“I had a great conversation with Officer Sabo on a
fine day in downtown Cleveland. Like many others I cannot
adequately express the sadness I feel when I imagine how he must
have been feeling. I suffer from anxiety and depression, and I’ve
experienced swimming in those dark waters.
It’s very different for each person but there are life
preservers… I know Cleveland Police dept will hold this officers
family as their own through the shock grief and into the future. I
direct gentle reiki healing light upon you, each and every
one.
â¤ï¸ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸.â€
Another said succinctly:
“Officer Nicholas Sabo…Your life mattered. Rest in
Peace sir.â€
The social media reached all the way to Brookland Ohio, where
Gideon Trank, eight, and his brother Josiah, six, are working with
their parents to run a snack and refreshment stand in front of
their home.
The money raised will be donated to the families of both Sabo
and Skernivitz.
When the boys heard about what happened to both police officers
they were really upset. They asked their parents what they could to
help out the families. They came up with an idea to help raise
money for them.
The death of Sabo is devastating, and the addition of Skernivitz
is felt deeply not only by the police, but also by the
community.
The pain that the Cleveland police department feels is something
that is felt by all throughout the Law Enforcement Community. They
want people to know that if anyone is suffering from depression or
suicidal thoughts, individuals can text “4Hope†to 741741 or
call 911.
Police are also encouraged to support each other and to reach
out to their local division of Police Employees Assistance Unit
with concerns for themselves or other officers.
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The post
Police officer dies by his own hand hours after another murdered;
community steps in to help appeared first on Law Enforcement
Today.
