Police Officer Daniel Pope
Badge: 256
Age: 35
Served: 6 years
September 15, 1991 to December 5, 1997

Police Specialist Ronald Jeter
Badge: PS121
Age: 34
Served: 4 years
February 7, 1993 to December 6, 1997

On December 3, 1997, at 23 West Hollister Street, Alana Strother was having problems with her boyfriend, 20-year-old Alonzo Davenport.  At the culmination of these problems, Davenport fired a shot through her rear door.  On December 4, 1997 at 9:41 p.m. plain clothes officers Specialist Jeter and Officer Pope and uniformed officer Shyane Baker responded to 23 West Hollister Street for a report of an assault and a man with a gun.  This time, Miss Strother, reported that Davenport had just held a gun to her head and threatened to kill her.  By now, Davenport had warrants outstanding against him for Felony Domestic Violence and several misdemeanors.  Several officers tried to find and apprehend Davenport during the night, but to no avail.

On December 5, 1997, at 11:55 p.m., Specialist Jeter and Officer Pope parked their undercover police vehicle in the area and walked to 23 West Hollister in another attempt to find and arrest Davenport.  Davenport, Angela Mills, Lisa McCollum, and Marvin Jones were inside his apartment at 23 West Hollister.  Davenport looked out the front bedroom window and saw them approach, but after a few minutes he thought they had left.  A few minutes later, Specialist Jeter and Officer Pope knocked on the door.  Davenport walked to a recliner and retrieved a Charter Arms Undercover .38 Special revolver (which had been stolen years before).  He walked to the door and asked, “Who is it?”, while placing the handgun in the small of his back.  The officers asked if Davenport was there and Davenport opened the door and allowed the officers to walk into the apartment.  Officer Pope’s attention was immediately drawn to Jones who was smoking a marijuana cigarette.  Davenport identified himself as “Keith” to Specialist Jeter, but Specialist Jeter was not fooled and ordered Davenport to put his hands behind his back.

Davenport initially complied, but then he began flailing his arms resisting being handcuffed.  Officer Pope came to his partner’s assistance.  Specialist Jeter took hold of Davenport’s right arm and Officer Pope took his left.  Davenport yelled, “F--- you all, man!  F--- you all!  I ain’t gotta do s---.”  He managed to free his right arm, reach into the waistband, and pull the handgun.  Specialist Jeter yelled, “Gun!  Gun!” and Davenport fired twice, striking each officer in the head.  He then left the apartment.  Jones called 9-1-1 at 11:57 p.m. and advised Police Communications Section that two undercover officers were down at his location.

Davenport ran up West Hollister Street, gun in hand.  He continued running to West McMillan Street near Scioto Street.  Several other plain-clothed police officers were in the area of Calhoun and, while they did not know about the shooting, they did recognize Davenport’s suspicious actions running across Calhoun Street and into the Saint George Church parking lot.  Police Officer Brian Ibold drove near Davenport and identified himself as a police officer.  Davenport took off running again and Police Officers Tim Campbell and Amy Abney gave chase.  As they ran into Classen Park at 2557 Jefferson Avenue, Davenport abruptly stopped, turned, reached into his waistband, withdrew his revolver, placed it to his right temple, and pulled the trigger. 

When officers arrived at the murder scene, Officer Pope appeared to be dead and Specialist Jeter was making gasping sounds.  Specialist Jeter died soon thereafter during the early morning hours on December 6, 1997, at University Hospital. 

Officer Pope left a wife, and Cincinnati Fire Fighter, Linda.  He was also survived by his father, a retired police officer, and mother.  His funeral services were held on December 10, 1997, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Chains in Cincinnati.  There were so many officers in attendance that about half were ushered to the nearby Cincinnati Convention Center where the celebration of Mass was broadcast on closed caption television.  Pall Bearers included Paul Weber, Bob Pope, Chris Metzner and Police Officers Tim Haines, Christopher Ruehmer, and Mike Drexelius.  He was cremated and his ashes were scattered.

Specialist Jeter, a former United States Marine, was survived by his mother, a fiancée, and three children.  He was laid out at the Thompson, Hall, and Jordan Funeral Home on Gilbert Avenue in Cincinnati on December 11, 1997.  The next day, more than a thousand police officers in hundreds of cars escorted him up Interstate 71 to his funeral services at the Rhema Christian Center on Agler Road in Columbus, Ohio.  On the expressway, every entrance was closed and there were firemen, policemen, and citizens at every overpass.  He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Columbus. 

This was the first time in ten years that a Cincinnati Police Officer was murdered; the longest string since 1840 when our records begin.  The Police Division retired Badge Nos. PS121 and P256.

If you have further information, artifacts, or pictures of this officer, please contact the Museum Director at Director@GCPHS.com.