Ollie Tate

Police Officer Tony Luketic's Story

UPDATE: Inmate Ollie Tate died in prison on June 16, 2019. Thank you to everyone who submitted a petition to help ensure he fulfilled his full sentence. Justice has been served.

A Botched Robbery Leads To Attempted Murder

On November 30th, 1995, Tony Luketic and his mom were waiting to make a brief banking transaction at the Society National Bank in the Collinwood section of Cleveland (Ohio) when their lives were forever changed. Luketic, an officer from nearby University Circle, was off duty and decided to go unarmed to the bank that day. He would later tell countless attendees to the Street Survival Seminar that this was the last day he would leave the house unarmed.

While he was standing in the teller line, an armed assailant named Ollie Tate, who already had numerous convictions for a variety of prior offenses , entered the bank with the intention of robbing the place. During the commission of his crime that November day, Tate would add attempted murder of a police officer to his criminal record.

Because he was unarmed, Luketic decided to be “a good witness” until the moment he observed Tate threaten to shoot one of the tellers after placing a gun to her head. The teller was too terrified to comply with Tate’s order to give him the money in the drawer. Luketic then identified himself as a police officer, and soon thereafter, a life-and-death struggle ensued.

Tate fired his weapon and the first round went into the wall, missing the teller. Tate then shot Officer Luketic once in the leg. A wounded Officer Luketic managed to knock the gun out of Tate’s hand. Seconds later, Tate overpowered Officer Luketic and managed to get the gun back. Tate then shot Luketic’s 51-year-old mother in the stomach. As Tate took aim to place another shot on Luketic’s mother, a severly injured Officer Luketic grabbed for Tate’s gun a second time. Tate fired into the floor missing Luketic’s mother. Tate then managed to shove the gun into Officer Luketic’s shoulder and fired, leaving him totally disabled, his arm held on only by his sweatshirt and leather coat.

Tate then stood over Officer Luketic, put the gun to his head, and pulled the trigger. The five-shot revolver was empty. Tate failed at his cold-blooded attempted execution of a man he knew to be a police officer only because he had run out of ammunition.

Officer Luketic spent thirteen hours in surgery and painful rehabilitation, having to learn to walk and use his hand again. He suffered permanent nerve damage to his left arm and has a metal rod in his left leg to stabilize the femur that was broken in three places. Officer Luketic returned to full duty one year later and, despite having to have numerous surgeries in the years that followed, is still working as a law enforcement officer. His mother survived her injuries and is enjoying retirement.

Long Criminal History And Poor Rehabilitation

At the time of his arrest, Tate had prior convictions for Armed Robbery; Bank Robbery (federal conviction); and an Aggravated Robbery and Felonious Assault, where a security guard was shot. He also has a prior conviction for Carrying a Concealed Weapon.

Tate’s parole records show that he has had negative institutional conduct and had completed some programming. He does not express remorse and appears to lack insight into his criminal offenses.

No Parole

Ollie Tate is a career felon who attempted to execute Police Officer Tony Luketic and Officer Luketic’s mother. Tate continues to have negative behavior while in prison, refuses to take responsiblity for his actions, and shows no remorse for his crimes. Based on the fact Ollie Tate attempted to murder two innocent victims, his extensive criminal history, and his complete lack of remorse, he should be required to serve his maximum 28 year sentence. To further the interests of justice and protect society, we urge the Ohio Parole Board to deny parole for Ollie Tate and require him to serve his maximum 28-year sentence.