Village of Lockland – Community Update Two
Statement by Mayor Mark Mason
March 27, 2025
We know many in our community continue to follow the news surrounding the officer-involved shooting that occurred on March 19, 2025, in Lockland.
This incident remains under active investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). We are fully cooperating with the investigation and are committed to full transparency. While we do not control the timeline of their work, we will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.
We’ve also heard the questions being asked—about what happened, about body camera footage, and about Mr. Mumyarutete himself. We take these questions seriously. As a Village, we’re committed to accountability and clarity, and we know that trust is not built in a single moment—it’s built over time.
Here’s what we can share:
- We remain in direct communication with Mr. Mumyarutete’s family and are committed to maintaining that connection. We are also speaking regularly with a number of community leaders.
- Limited body camera footage from responding officers has been released, which shows events after the shooting, including officers rendering aid to Mr. Mumyarutete. That footage is available through the media.
- In the Fall of 2024, the Village applied for a state grant to fund the body camera program. While we await the outcome of that request, the Village Council approved full funding in the 2025 budget. A contract was signed on February 18, and we expect full department deployment by mid-April.
- Four officers in Lockland are currently testing body-worn cameras as part of a pilot program. The officer involved in the shooting was not assigned one at the time.
This complex investigation involves officers from multiple police departments, including Lockland, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Cincinnati, Woodlawn, Evendale, Wyoming, Sharonville, and Glendale. While we have many of the same questions you do, we understand that this investigation will take time for BCI to complete.
We want to reaffirm our understanding that this is a painful moment for many—especially for Mr. Mumyarutete’s family, our officers, and members of our immigrant community, who may feel especially vulnerable right now. We hear those concerns. While we do not yet have all the answers, we are listening, and we will continue to move forward with transparency, care, and resolve.