The Kirkersville chief’s father was killed seven years ago in the fight to raise the flag in his honor

KIRKERSVILLE, Ohio – Sunday marks seven years since Kirkersville Police Chief Eric DiSario and two other people were shot and killed at a Licking County nursing home.

“Nobody had any idea that the little old town, as small as it is, would take his life,” said Eric’s father, Tom DiSario.

Tom is proud of his son Eric’s service.

“It was just a sad day,” he said.

Eric’s end of service ended on May 12, 2017 at the hands of an armed man at a nursing facility.

For five years after Eric’s death, Tom honored and remembered his son by flying the thin blue flag in front of his home on Etna.

Even while on oxygen, Tom switches to his portable and walks out the stairs to his flagpole.

While it may be a small struggle for him, he says it’s nothing compared to the sacrifice his son made.

“It means my son was killed and I see that every day when I raise that flag. The American flag depicts all military personnel who have died for this country. Now I want something that represents all the officers across the country who support them,” Tom said.

Few things are a greater symbol of our country than the flag. Tom feels the same symbolism about the thin blue flag and his son.

His HOA informed him that the flag was a political statement and he had to take it down.

“I didn’t take it down until a judge told me to,” he said.

“When I heard about it, I was honestly disgusted,” said State Representative Kevin Miller.

Miller was post commander for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, just down the road from Kirkersville in Granville.

Miller said he attended Eric’s funeral.

He has vowed to do everything he can so that Tom can fly the thin blue flag again.

Miller has proposed a bill that would add the thin blue line flag to a list of protected flags such as the American flag, the Ohio state flag and missing prisoners of war flags.

House Bill 100, also known as the Chief Steven DiSario Act, passed the House and is now in Senate committee.

“Our military flags are all protected. These flags represent people who protect and serve us. I just say this flag, and it’s almost identical: These people protect and serve us right in our communities. This flag should also be protected,” Miller said.

Licking County Sheriff’s Office Captain Chris Barbuto was working the day Eric was killed.

“For us, the flag as a symbol is a reminder of the police officers who paid the ultimate price of their lives in the line of duty,” Barbuto said.

The bill has already been heard by a sponsor and Tom is looking forward to his chance to testify.

“I’m just waiting to get the flag up,” he said.

There is opposition to this bill.

Adrienne Hood, whose son Henry Green died in a shootout with Columbus police in 2016, testified against the bill.

In a statement, she said: “This Blue Line phenomenon represents not only those who have died in the line of duty, but also the colleagues who have caused tremendous harm and often death to members of each of your communities. There are so many challenges facing our country and our state without adding unnecessary trauma and harm.”

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