Rodney Osborne

Gender : Male

Age : 44

Race : White

Date : 04/09/2024

Location : Corrections Training Academy, Orient, Ohio

City : Pickaway County

County : Pickaway

State : Ohio

Agency : Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed during training exercise

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 04/09/2024, Lt. Rodney Osborne, a 44-year-old corrections officer with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC), was fatally shot during a training exercise at the Corrections Training Academy in Orient, Ohio. The incident occurred during a "dry" tactical exercise, which was not supposed to involve live ammunition.
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Investigators determined that David Pearson, a former ODRC operations commander, fired a gun that fatally struck Lt. Osborne. Pearson was charged with negligent homicide and has pleaded guilty on 12/09/2024 to a misdemeanor charge. Sentencing is pending.
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Lt. Osborne was named Employee of the Year at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. He was also a member of the honor guard and special response teams.
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The Ohio State Highway Patrol conducted an investigation, and ODRC Director Annette Chambers-Smith described the event as a "tragic accident." This incident has raised concerns about safety protocols during training exercises, prompting calls for reforms to prevent future tragedies.
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The community continues to mourn Lt. Osborne, remembering him as a dedicated and admired officer.
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TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES DURING THIS POLICE ENCOUNTER: 1 fatality

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/pickaway-county/corrections-officer-killed-during-exercise-at-pickaway-county-training-academy/
https://www.wosu.org/news/2024-12-09/state-firearms-instructor-pleads-guilty-in-deadly-shooting-of-corrections-officer-during-training
https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/ex-odrc-operations-commander-pleads-guilty-ohio-department-rehabilitation-corrections-officer-david-pearson-negligent-homicide-case-rodney-osborne-training-exercise-corrections-training-academy-pickaway-correctional-institutio
https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/ohio-corrections-officer-fatally-shot-during-training-exercise-laid-rest/530-b6622bda-1c7b-4902-bef9-2cf3e95af0ac
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article296864999.html