The man who died in a Minerva swat incident has been identified as a local 61-year-old man.
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a standoff incident that unfolded at a residence on Metro Lane in Minerva on Monday afternoon, resulting in the death of 61-year-old Benny Joiner.
According to Sheriff Calvin Graham, the incident began around 3 p.m. when authorities received a call for a welfare check. Deputies arrived at the 9100 block of Metro Lane after Joiner’s wife reported that he had pointed a gun at her before she left the home to call for help.
Upon the deputies’ arrival, multiple shots were fired at them, striking three Sheriff’s cruisers and causing significant damage. Sheriff Graham noted that Joiner used multiple firearms during the incident. No deputies were injured, as they sought cover behind their vehicles immediately.
Law enforcement refrained from returning fire, opting instead to use non-lethal methods such as bean bag rounds and flash bangs to manage the situation, Sheriff Graham reported. The standoff lasted approximately 3 to 3.5 hours and ended with Joiner as the sole occupant of the residence at the time of his death.
Sheriff Graham revealed that Joiner had reportedly been experiencing a mental health crisis and had sought assistance from Coleman Mental Health Services earlier that day, but did not receive the necessary support. The reasons for this lack of support remain unclear.
Other departments responding to the incident included Minerva Police, Canton Police, Perry Township Police, Sandy Creek Joint Fire Department, and East Canton Police.
The investigation is ongoing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.