Congress Township, Ohio (May 12, 2026) – Wayne County Sheriff Tom Ballinger and Sgt. Dan Broome were stabbed Tuesday morning while responding to a report of a suspicious person walking along Congress Road.
The incident occurred just before 11 a.m. in the 9000 block of Congress Road. According to Chief Deputy Joseph Copenhaver, the sheriff and deputy approached the man, who then pulled out a knife and attacked them.
Sheriff Ballinger suffered a stab wound to the arm and was transported to Wooster Community Hospital. Sgt. Broome was stabbed in the groin and taken to Summa Health System in Akron.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating. The suspect remains at large, and no further details about the individual or possible charges have been released.
A sheriff’s office records assistant described the situation as serious shortly after noon and confirmed that personnel were on scene conducting the investigation.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available from official sources.
