Suspected shoplifter shot at by deputies ID’d

POLICE-INVOLVED SHOOTING

A Blacklick woman who authorities say drove a car at a Delaware County deputy who was trying to stop her for shoplifting has a prior felony warrant for drug possession.

Alana Marie Hissong, 28, has been charged by the Delaware County sheriff’s office with felony counts of robbery and failure to comply with officials.

The sheriff’s office gave this account of what happened Tuesday night at the Tanger Outlets Center: Hissong was inside the OshKosh B’gosh store about 8 p.m. when bicycle patrol officers were called on a report about a shoplifter there.

As Hissong was leaving the store, Deputy Josh Clarke ordered her to stop. Instead, Hissong got in her car and began to drive away.

That’s when Deputy Alex Richison walked up to her car, ordering her to stop. Instead, Hissong drove toward him and Richison fired twice at Hisson’s car. She wasn’t hit by the gunfire.

Hisson drove from the parking lot and was chased by another deputy in a cruiser for a few miles before she crashed. She was treated for minor injuries.

The State Highway Patrol, which handled the crash investigation, also filed charges against Hissong of operating a vehicle while impaired, failure to yield, driving under suspension and not wearing a seatbelt.

The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure for the Delaware County sheriff’s office when one of its deputies is involved.

Shoplifting in the county has risen by 80 percent in the first six months of the year compared with last year, said Tracy Whited, sheriff’s office spokeswoman. The majority of the increase is traced to incidents at the outlet mall, she said.

Bike patrols have helped there, Whited said.

“We were at the right place at the right time, by design,” she said of the incident.

Hissong’s bad choices and dangerous actions led to the deputy’s gunfire, Whited said.

“It was her failure to respond and combativeness. And all of this for a pair of gray joggers, T-shirts and a tunic for toddlers.”