NEWS

Police: Randall Road man’s basement apartment a bunker

Lou Whitmire
Reporter

MANSFIELD – David Parker lived in his brother’s house in a crowded, finished basement apartment with multiple rooms on Randall Road.

For 26 hours, Parker engaged in a standoff with police that ended April 28 with him being fatally wounded from a single shot to the head.

As the incident unfolded, someone familiar with the home told authorities the basement could be a bunker.

It turns out, it was.

Parker, 58, a U.S. Army veteran, had multiple guns, ammunition and provisions in his basement, Mansfield police said Wednesday.

After conducting an initial assessment of the findings from the residence, Mansfield police Lt. Rob Skropits said authorities located a bulletproof vest, holsters and ammunition belts, lots of loaded, assault-style magazines for assault-style rifles, loaded assault-style weapons, ammunition, handcuffs, helmets, knives and even igniters. Six weapons were removed from the property, possibly more, Skropits said.

Skropits said survivalist bags also were located throughout the basement with food, water and medical supplies.

Two books were found in Parker’s basement residence, “The Anarchist Cookbook” and a military field surgeon handbook, according to authorities.

A complete log of evidence from Parker’s Randall Road basement apartment has not been released as the investigation is ongoing, authorities said Wednesday.

This week, Tony DeLong, Richland County Veterans Service Commission executive director, confirmed Parker was a U.S. Army veteran who served in peacetime after the Vietnam War.

“He was receiving assistance from the Richland County Veterans Service Commission,” DeLong said.

The standoff started around 8:30 a.m. April 27 when a Columbia Gas employee knocked on Parker’s door.

The employee was there to do some service on Parker’s lines, but Parker came out pointing a gun at the worker, Mansfield Police Chief Keith Coontz said previously. The worker called police, and when officers showed up, Parker refused to come out.

Parker’s brother Jonathan Parker, who owns the house, did not return calls seeking comment. He is a missionary working in the Philippines with his wife.

Mansfield police Chief Kenny Coontz said anyone with any further questions is asked to call the Highway Patrol.

Mansfield police Assistant Chief Keith Porch said the Mansfield police’s main focus of the investigation deals with the ASORT team discharging their weapons. The investigation is being led by Skropits and Richland County Sheriff’s Capt. Jimmy Sweat and Ontario police Capt. Dale Myers, Porch said.

“By the ASORT manual, the shooting jurisdiction where it occurs, an investigator is assigned but there has to be two neutral investigators assigned, Capt. Sweat and Capt. Myers are shadowing with Skropits in regard to the discharge of weapons by the ASORT team,” Porch said.

Parker was shot at around 11 a.m. April 28. He died at 12:27 p.m. at OhioHealth MedCentral Mansfield, according to Richland County coroner’s investigator Bob Ball.

Parker’s body remains at the Summit County Medical Examiners Office. The house has since been boarded up.

lwhitmir@nncogannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir