Recordpub.com - Former fire chief for Garrettsville kills self Kidnapped woman from Akron firm

By Marci Piltz

Record-Courier staff writer

The former chief of the Garrettsville-Freedom-Nelson Joint Fire District fatally shot himself along a road in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Summit County early Wednesday after kidnapping a 25-year-old woman from her Akron workplace.

Donald R. Harris Jr., 52, died of a single gunshot wound to the chest, police said.

Boston Heights Police Chief Joseph Varga said Harris' body was found at about 6:45 a.m., about three feet off Akron-Peninsula Road, in the vicinity where the female victim told police she last saw Harris.

Harris resigned as chief of the Garrettsville-Freedom-Nelson Joint Fire District in August 2005, said current Chief David Friess. Friess said Harris had served as chief for about six or seven years prior to his resignation. Friess said he was not sure why Harris resigned.

According to reports from Akron, Copley and Boston Heights police, the incident began around 1:15 a.m. Wednesday when Harris drove to the private ambulance company on Kelly Avenue in Akron, where the woman worked. Police said Harris was armed at the time and fired a shot during the kidnapping. No one was injured.

Copley Police Chief Michael Mier said an investigation thus far has revealed that the victim and Harris had possibly dated at some time. "They did know each other," he said.

Harris then fled with the woman to her apartment in Copley, also in Summit County. Mier said the woman's roommate reported waking to find the victim tied up.

The woman's roommate "realized what was going on and jumped from a second floor window," Mier said. "She ran a few buildings away and called 911 from her cell phone."

"Our officers arrived on the scene within one to two minutes to speak to her, and she was convinced they were still inside the apartment at that time because she hadn't seen them leave," Mier said. "We then established a perimeter around the building, evacuated the folks in the adjoining apartments and contacted Metro SWAT."

Mier said several attempts were made to contact Harris on his cell phone, without success.

"At the same time, we put a camera into the apartment to see if there was any activity in the apartment, and couldn't see anything," Mier said. "We also realized that Akron police had told us his vehicle was left at scene and her vehicle was gone. We couldn't find her vehicle at the complex, so we realized it was possible they had left before our officers arrived. We think when the roommate jumped, he realized police would be coming so he took the victim in her car and left the area."

A "be-on-the-lookout" was issued for the vehicle to surrounding police agencies, and Varga said Peninsula police located the victim and her vehicle around 4 a.m. in the area of Boston Mills and Hines Hill roads in Summit County.

The victim was able to tell police the approximate area she had left Harris in and, because officers knew Harris was armed, the SWAT team was called to that location to set up a perimeter and begin a search, Varga said.

"We also called in K-9's from Twinsburg, Stow and Kent, and the suspect's body was found around 6:30 a.m. about three feet off Akron-Peninsula Road," he said. "He had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was dead when we found him."

Varga said the victim was transported to the hospital by detectives from the Akron Police Department.

He also said the FBI responded to the scene because the location where Harris' body was found is part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park system, which is federal land.

"They did come out and assist with the recovery of evidence," Varga said, noting the weapon used -- a .45-caliber handgun -- was recovered at the scene.

No one at the Akron Police Department could be reached for comment on the incident Wednesday.

Hudson Hub-Times reporter Tim Troglen contributed to this report.

23.	Posted by tock2me October 8, 2008
	No they were not adults, Kourtney is still a child!!! Trying to fit into an adult life, with a married man and he has 2 daughters not one. I know because I am a relative..I know what type of girl Kourtney was and is. I heard Dons side of the story 2 years ago and things might have had a differant outcome had Kourtney stayed in COLorado But then again someone elses family there would have been destroyed. Who says he did anything to her,and how do you know she did not shoot him? Maybe someone needs too look at this more closely. By no means do I pretend to know more then you seem to think you know.2 people know what happened that night but one is no longer with us and the other is telling her side of the story,and who's to say what the truth is. I know Don's family did not make a statement in the newspaper or TV,like others did declaring Kourtney a victim.Godbless her if she can live with the outcome of her past actions. And godbless the next man and his family that she sets her sight on. As I said befor she is far from being a victim!!!!!!!! SHE VICTIMIZED.

16.	Posted by Melisa September 30, 2008
	Those of you who Judge, take a step back and look at yourself and your surrounding family. Do they seem to be an average family with average every day issues? I have lost many to awful diseases which you see and try to help cope with the pain they are in, to have some one have this kind of pain and not know or see it, is the worse pain anyone can ever endure. I have read every posting to every site and seen every news casting in regards to this traggic event, nothing has been officially released from the police departments involved, nothing has been released by the victim to the public and the the statments to the police are one sided, who else would there be to back up or argue to her statements. * NO ONE * Has she been tested for gun powder on her hands? The room mates hands? As for having an obituary, it is in today paper, The Family has held a private service - and as you can see and hear it was due to the lack of respect and the ignorance people have in times like this- people who are of media interest and just plain nosey were not welcomed. My thoughts are with Kourtney(sp?)I cant even imagine the thoughts that she has or how many times this event will be replayed- and how the outcome could have been- in the end * She is alive and can have help all around and receive the physical and mental love that there is for her.

15.	Posted by prmdk25 September 29, 2008
	I want everyone to know that yes, big deal I jumped out the window and I am not a hero. She is my best friend. He was a disturbed person. But we both are sorry he did this and she did try for hours to talk him out of killing himself. He was still someones father, son, grandfather & uncle. and deserves to be acknowledged as a human being in this world. Has anyone has even posted an obituary for him, does anyone care? We are sad for his kids and his little granddaughters. They have lost someone they love. They don't know anything except he is gone from there lives forever. Do not sit in judgementof Don or Kourtney. Like every other person on this planet they made mistakes in their lives and good or bad must live with the outcome. No one knows what really pushed him do this, but I can tell you it was not one single thing or event in his life. It is a culmination of many and each and every person who is a part of his life knows the role they played. Right now we are trying to deal with all of this and return to some semblence of our lives as we knew it before this tragedy occured. We thank everyone who has called wrote and sent their thought's and prayers, and speaking for myself, mine go out to Dons family and his children and grandkids.