Officer Stephen J. Ondas

Stephen J. Ondas

Officer Stephen Ondas was shot and killed by the 19-year-old driver of a car he and his partner, Officer Phil Brady, stopped for not having any headlights.

The suspect had a traffic warrant and resisted arrest, and fled. The officers pursued the suspect, and a struggle ensued near the police cruiser, where the suspect grabbed Officer Ondas' firearm, shot Officer Ondas in the chest, and then shot his partner. Officer Brady recovered after a short stay in the hospital.

The suspect surrendered to police several hours later. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on February 20, 1973. He will be eligible for parole on March 1, 2023.

Officer Ondas had served with the Akron Police Department for only six months. He is survived by his wife and daughter, born a few weeks after his death.