Sheriff Department Mourns Loss Of Retired Deputy In Shooting
The Lake County Sheriff’s Department is mourning the loss of a retired officer who was shot and killed while working as a security officer at Community Hospital in Munster early this morning.
Sometime around 1 a.m., security officer 59-year-old Ryan Askew and another officer were responding to a report of a psychiatric patient assaulting a nurse. “It is my understanding that the patient was beating the nurse pretty badly,” said Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.
During a struggle, it’s believed that the 22-year-old male patient grabbed a gun from one of the officers’ gun belts. Askew was wounded in the arm and later died. The suspect was also fatally wounded. The circumstances of the shooting and other details are still under investigation by the Munster Police Department.
RNS wants the public to realize as well this is still an active investigation by the Munster Police and by no means regardless of what other media outlets have put out has it been determined who did the shooting as of this time.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked to lose a retired officer in such a horrific incident,” said Sheriff Martinez. “He was a dedicated professional.” Askew leaves behind a wife, a daughter and two foster children.
“I knew both of these retired veteran officers personally, and they’re the kind of people rookies could learn from and look up to,” Sheriff Martinez said.
Askew’s loss is already being felt throughout the Lake County Sheriff’s Department family. He was a 20-year veteran of our department and retired as a commander in 2004.
The other officer is 65 years old. He is a 25-year veteran of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and retired in 2010. “We have learned that he has been hospitalized and is in stable condition.”
“We are praying for the families of both of these officers as they endure this difficult time,” the sheriff said.
