I will defend myself. >> Holy >> On August 1st, 2024, police were dispatched to a home on the 800 block of Cherryberry Drive in Columbus, Ohio for a reported domestic disturbance. But what began as a routine response quickly turned into a chaotic close-quarters fight. >> How did it go down? What happened? >> Hey, what's going on? >> I'm good. >> I'm going to go and tell you the martial law has been declared. >> Are you from Dubai? >> Our in-depth coverage is brought to you by Morgan & Morgan. There's a reason the left lane is not a personality, just like there's a reason why Morgan & Morgan is America's largest injury law firm. They've been fighting for the people for over 35 years. With more [music] than 35 billion dollars recovered for their clients, Morgan & Morgan knows a thing or two about fighting to get you the compensation you deserve. Hiring Morgan & Morgan is like hiring an army to [music] go into battle. More than a thousand lawyers and a hundred offices nationwide. And if you're injured by someone else's negligence, you deserve to be paid. Not all law firms are the same. [music] Hire the wrong one and you may be beat before you even start. If you're ever injured, you can check out Morgan & Morgan, and their fee is free unless they win. To see if you have a claim, you can go to forthepeople.com/midwestcrime, which can also be found in the description. >> The martial law has been declared. Are you from Dubai? >> I'm on a sukumaran weaving a water. >> You and you dad Okay. >> Any weapon? >> I want to talk to him. >> Can you call my I got a badge number. >> Okay. >> 6262 Benjamin E. Wheeler. >> What's going on tonight? >> Nothing. >> Nothing? >> Nope. >> Okay. What Did you and your your dad get into it? >> Yeah, a little bit. >> What happened? >> Just pissed talking. >> Just talking? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Talking about what? >> Just arguing. He wanted me coming to shut the door. >> He just wanted you to come in and shut the door? sir. Okay. How did that turn into an argument? >> It's not physical. >> Right. I mean, what caused it to be be an argument is what I'm saying. >> the door. >> Yeah, you didn't want to shut the door? >> to shut the door. >> Okay. I can hear you. I can see how that could be an argument. How long you lived here, sir? >> I've lived here for 30 years. >> Nice. All right. All right. You on your medication right now? >> medication anymore. I My doctor took me off that stuff a long time ago. >> Oh, did he really? What were you on? >> Uh Depot shot. Next I went to King's Daughters instead of going to the military doctor. >> Oh, okay. >> Do you Do you know what Parkinson's is? >> No. >> Yeah. They give it to schizophrenics. I'm not schizophrenic at all. >> So, why were they giving you that? >> Um going to King's Daughters. I don't know if I should have went to the military hospital here in uh Cheyenne. >> Okay. What branch of the military were you in? >> Infantry division. Let's see here. I did a little bit towards in Iraq. >> Okay. >> See here. Afghanistan. >> Yeah. What branch? >> Uh sniper. >> You were sniper with what branch? >> Uh no branch. >> No branch? >> No, uh-uh. >> Did you threaten your dad today? >> No, I didn't threaten. I said martial law has been declared. >> What do you mean by that? >> Martial law is You've got a certain bit of property. We're at war. There's gunshots here every [ __ ] night. >> Really? >> Come here. Since you're an officer, come here. Do you see this? Sniper shot. You see this? Sniper shot. See this? Sniper sniper sniper sniper. >> I know. You don't have a weapon on you, do you? >> No. >> What's What's in your pocket? >> don't feel comfortable putting my hands in my pocket. >> Okay. No weapons in there? >> Okay. >> Martial law has been declared. I'm waiting on the army. >> You talking about these three right here and then this one by the window? >> are sniper shots. >> When did that happen? >> A couple nights ago. >> A couple nights ago? What was it all about with you and dad today? >> Exhausted. >> What? >> Exhausted. >> Exhausted? >> Mhm. >> All right. What got you all exhausted? >> What got you all upset today? >> My phone. >> You don't seem fine. >> I'm the owner of the whole of my right law 6262 states. Can I see a warrant? >> I don't have a warrant. >> I own the whole Mickey Mouse. >> The whole Mickey Mouse? >> Mouse. >> Okay. >> There's 250 houses here. We are surrounded. >> Yeah. >> Martial law has been declared. I have a 6262 radio. I'm talking to the military coming. I'm telling you this now. I'm not following nobody. Martial law has been called. I am armed. I will defend myself. >> You say you're armed? >> I am armed. >> Where? >> In my room. >> Do you have a gun on you now? >> have. >> Do you have a weapon on you? >> I may have. I don't have to tell you, sir. >> Yes or no. Do you have a weapon on you, dude? >> Just tell us so we can all be safe. I want to be safe. We're here with your family. I got a family, all right? We all want to be safe. >> We are telling you to leave him alone. He is a martial I'm good. I'm good. >> Yes or no, what? Do you have a deadly weapon now? >> No. >> The suspect was later identified as 40-year-old Benjamin Wheeler. He barricaded himself inside the home prompting the SWAT team to establish a perimeter around the house and begin negotiations with him. >> Bearcat 2 copy. And I'm at the scene. >> When he left the door, he was last seen. >> Okay. Bearcat 1 is set. Waiting for Bearcat 2 and some more personnel before we start announcements. Yep, he's on the left. Turning in. Benjamin or anyone else inside of Carrie Berry please come to the front with nothing in your hands so we can speak with you. >> Benjamin, this is your mom [clears throat] and dad and your mom said she needs to get back in to get some medicine. But she can't do that until you come out. >> I'm moving. >> Hey! Hey! LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS. COME OUT! COME OUT RIGHT NOW! ROBERT, COME OUT! >> He's trying to close the door again. I'm leaving the ram in there. >> Hey, that's perfect. >> Harry, do you want to give some announcements? >> Announcements. >> Benjamin, come out right now. Show us your hands. Come back to the door and put your hands up and listen to the officers. No one's here to hurt you. >> There he is. >> I got it. >> Got him. >> Thumbs up or down? No one's here to hurt you. Bang! That's not going to work. Bang! Bang! Bang! Show us your hands and walk out, buddy. >> He is trying to push furniture out from the front door. We've got the ram. >> Slow it down, bud. >> Slow it down, baseball cap. >> Come over to the front door. >> He's trying to push furniture back against the >> bud. >> Hey, he's got a gun. Back up. Back up. Let's go. >> Benjamin! >> He's got a >> Hey! COME ON! WHAT was that? >> All right. >> Back up. Back up. BACK UP. >> HE'S BARRICADING AGAIN. DEEPEN >> IN THE KITCHEN. Come to the front door with a knife. Come to the front door with a knife. >> the knife. Drop the knife, Ben. BEN. BEN. BEN. >> GO TO THE LEFT. Do not go to the Do not go to the right. >> Stop throwing things. Benjamin. Benjamin. Benjamin. Can we Have someone stand there and taze him? Holy Benjamin. >> We're getting knockers in that window. >> Benjamin, how about the gas? Benjamin, please come to the door. Benjamin, come to the door. Ben, drop the knife. Ben, drop the knife and come out slowly. >> Retreating to the kitchen. Retreating to the kitchen. Move over here. Let's go to this side. >> Oh my god. How are we supposed to get up there then? >> Well, let's go on the inside here. Let the snipers have this whole passenger side. >> Watch out. Watch yourself. I'm going up with you. >> They [ __ ] >> Inside. Inside. Inside. Inside door. Go. >> Watch that taser. >> We're good. We're good. We're good. We're good. >> Benjamin, stop throwing things. Benjamin, come out. >> Go lower. Go lower. >> See if you got him, Ash. >> Oh, cool. I can't see. Okay, that's it. That's it. There's nothing over there. Look up. It's in the kitchen. It's there. It's in the It's in the kitchen. >> But he threw it into his face. >> into the grenade just got to the front door here. Mask up. Mask up. Turn this off. >> Turn it off. Turn it off. >> Where's the power button? >> Despite extended negotiations, Wheeler refused to come out. The SWAT team then sent a drone inside the house to locate him before officers began making their way inside. >> Let's go. >> All right, he's throwing stuff at the drone back in that towards the kitchen there. >> Come on. Come on. Come Come out. Come out. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. >> Good shot. He's hit. >> No. >> He is hit. He is hit. Benjamin, we cannot help you unless you lay still. He's bleeding out. >> Well, still >> Benjamin, can you hear me? Don't move. Don't move. Benjamin. >> He is down. He is He is down. He's down, Troy. I'm I'm I'll cover with the bunker. I got He is down. His hands His hands are right there. Look at his hands. Hey. Look out. Hey. Don't move that knife, Troy. Don't let him move that knife out of the way. It was right beside his body. Did you take a picture of that? >> After the close-quarters fight, Wheeler was shot four times in the kitchen before retreating to the basement, where he was later found dead. Wheeler had an active felony warrant for child support, and his family had previously raised concerns about his mental health. Three SWAT officers were also injured during the struggle and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. In June 2025, a Franklin County Grand Jury declined to charge the officers involved in the incident. For exclusive clips and behind-the-scenes content, join us on patreon.com/midwestcrime.