CHARGES

show. According to an affidavit filed in Franklin County Municipal Court, as soon as officers Eric Joering and Anthony Morelli went inside Smith’s home in the 300 block of Cross Wind Drive, Smith pointed a handgun at them. All three men fired. Joering died at the scene; Morelli died a short time later at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. Smith was wounded.

On Saturday, police said his condition in a hospital was critical. On Sunday, authorities would not elaborate on his condition or even say whether he remained hospitalized, or where.

Meanwhile, as the investigation into the killings of Joering and Morelli continued, a clearer picture began to emerge about Smith and about what all happened at that home where the shootings occurred.

Smith has a long history of violence, according to court records. Many of the previous charges against him came in Cuyahoga County, where he used to live. He has assault and domestic violence cases dating to 2005 there, and in 2007, he was charged with felonious assault, theft and aggravated menacing. The latter case was eventually dismissed.

In 2008, prosecutors charged Smith with aggravated burglary, burglary and domestic violence. He pleaded to the domestic violence and burglary charges and was sentenced to three years in prison. It wasn’t immediately clear whether he served the entire sentence.

Westerville police officers were familiar with the home where Saturday’s fatal shootings occurred. Records show officers had responded there several times since August, including for domestic violence calls in September and November.

The incident Saturday began with a 911 call about noon. In it, a woman makes an unintelligible sound, and the line goes dead.

A dispatcher called the number back, but the call went to a voice-mail account belonging to Candace Smith. Officers arrived at the home, and radio traffic indicates that no one answered the door initially. Then, at 12:13, officers reported that they were making contact with the residents.

The call of shots fired came less than a minute later.

At 12:14 p.m., Candace Smith made a frantic call to police. She told dispatchers that she was hiding in the bushes and that Smith and her 1-year-old daughter were still inside.

“Please help! Please help!” she begged. “He shot the police officers.”

Candace Smith then told the dispatcher that her husband had shot one of the officers as he entered the house. She said she couldn’t see the officer, and she was frantic about her child.

“I don’t hear my daughter crying anymore,” she said.

The dispatcher tried to reassure her that they would help her.

Reached by phone Sunday, Candace Smith declined to comment.