Kent State grad killed in line of duty

To the city of Cleveland, Jonathan Schroeder was more than just a casualty of his work. He was described by his colleagues as a selfless man who was well-liked and is greatly missed.

Detective Schroeder, a Kent State alumnus, was shot and killed while serving an arrest warrant on the morning of Aug. 31, Cleveland Police Lt. Thomas Stacho said.

“He was a great cop, very thorough in his work,” Cleveland police officer and Kent State alumnus Thomas Ross said. “He was respectful to victims and suspects, and he knew the community well because he lived in the community he worked in.”

He said any death within a district affects fellow officers, but the loss of Schroeder was a complete devastation.

“He was so popular, even with people not in the first district,” Ross said.

Schroeder graduated from Kent State in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in general studies, according to the office of the University Registrar.

Ross said Schroeder might have been more interested in spending a Friday night on campus in the library rather than going out and partying.

“I don’t know how much fun he had in college,” Ross said. “His dad said he was always locked in his room studying something.”

The 37-year-old might have just been saving his fun-loving side for his associates.

“He was a jovial guy, always smiling,” Ross said. “At the service they even talked about how he was always pulling practical jokes.”

Ross said many businesses have helped out by donating food and other items to the family and the department.

Community members of West Park, where Schroeder lived with his wife, Amy, and 10-month-old son, Eric, have shown their appreciation and condolences by lining more than 2,000 candles along the streets of the town. The candles were lit the previous two nights in memory of the officer.

Funeral processions took place early yesterday morning at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Stacho said.

“An estimated 3,000 uniformed officers showed up to pay their respects,” he said.

Schroeder will be buried tomorrow in his hometown of Monroeville, Pa.

He was a 10-year veteran of the force.

Contact general assignment reporter Elise Franco at [email protected].