Cleveland Cop Killed During New Year's Eve Carjacking Remembered as 'True Public Servant'

Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek, 25, who was slain on December 31, wanted to be remembered as someone who cared, according to his twin sister.

Bartek's funeral was held Tuesday morning at Grace Church in the Cleveland suburb of Middleburg Heights. A photo and video montage that played during the service showed him as a boy, a teen and a young adult.

Summer Bartek, his twin sister, said he will "forever be my idol" and recalled they played as children with their first set of walkie-talkies and used the call signs "Peanut Butter" and "Jelly." That's when she knew he wanted to become a policeman.

"In his 25 years, he reached that goal times a thousand," she said of his desire to be remembered as a caring person. "He could make friends with anyone and was wise beyond his years."

Bartek became a Cleveland police officer in August 2019. Cleveland Police Chief Wayne Drummond said he did not know Bartek personally but was aware that he was highly regarded by his fellow officers.

"This man was a true public servant," Drummond said. "If I could create a template of what this city needs as a police officer, it would be patrol officer Shane Bartek." He added that Bartek would read to children at a child care center in the East Side police district where he was assigned.

Bartek was off duty on December 31 when Tamara McLoyd, 18, shot and killed him in his apartment parking lot during a carjacking. She turned the car over to Anthony Butler Jr., who led police on a pursuit. They were arrested the same day, and McLoyd admitted to shooting Bartek.

Cleveland TV station WJW reported that Bartek's cause of death was a "gunshot wound of chest with vascular, visceral and skeletal injuries," according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.

McLoyd was indicted last week on aggravated murder and other charges. Butler was charged with fleeing, eluding and several traffic offenses. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for January 18, according to WJW.

In addition to his sister, Bartek is survived by his mother, Debra; brother Eric; and his grandmother Gloria Bartek. His father, Ronald Bartek, died in 2018.

Summer Bartek recalled one of her last conversations she had with her twin. She said she asked him if he was scared about something happening to him on the job.

"His reply was, 'Life's too short to care too much and get upset about every little thing, It will play out fine in the end, or if not, I will be up to see Dad and the rest of the family. It's a win-win.'"

The Associated Press contributed to this report.