Police to escort bodies of 2 slain officers to funeral homes

Published 2:55 pm Monday, February 12, 2018

<p>Mourners gather and leave flowers on a police cruiser parked in front of City Hall in Westerville, Ohio, on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. Westerville police officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering were killed in the line of duty Saturday when a suspect opened fire on them as they responded to a call at a residence.</p>Sam Greene/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP

WESTERVILLE, Ohio — An Ohio police department will escort the bodies of two slain officers as they’re moved from a coroner’s office to separate funeral homes.

Police in the Columbus suburb of Westerville haven’t announced funeral details for the veteran officers, 39-year-old Eric Joering and 54-year-old Anthony Morelli.

Email newsletter signup

Officials invited the public to line the route as the bodies are transported Monday to honor the officers.

They were shot Saturday while responding to a 911 hang-up call at a townhome where the 30-year-old suspect was wounded.<p>Mourners gather and leave flowers on a police cruiser parked in front of City Hall in Westerville, Ohio, on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. Westerville police officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering were killed in the line of duty Saturday when a suspect opened fire on them as they responded to a call at a residence.</p>Sam Greene/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP

Officials said Sunday that suspect Quentin Smith was hospitalized in stable condition and expected to survive.

Columbus police handling the investigation charged Smith with aggravated murder. Municipal court records didn’t show an attorney for him.

Records show police previously went to the home for domestic violence calls.