Two Oklahoma Sheriff's Deputies Shot, Killed

[jmtgsx]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,534893,00.html?test=latestnews

Two Oklahoma Sheriff's Deputies Shot, Killed
Monday, July 27, 2009


SEMINOLE, Okla. — A man opened fire on two sheriff's deputies trying to serve a domestic abuse warrant Sunday in Oklahoma, killing both officers and wounding a woman who was passing by, state investigators said.

Ezekiel Holbert, 26, was arrested Sunday after two Seminole County deputies were killed while trying to serve an arrest warrant for Holbert at his mother's home, State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown said.

The warrant that deputies were trying to serve was for an incident in February in which Holbert's mother told police he tried to strangle her after he was inhaling paint thinner, court records show. According to an affidavit in the case, "Ms. Holbert and her kids are in fear of Ezekiel's explosive behavior."

On Sunday afternoon, Holbert's mother called the sheriff's office after finding her son in her house, which is about 50 miles from Oklahoma City. She said Holbert wasn't welcome there. Brown said the two deputies tried to serve the arrest warrant, but were immediately shot.

"They both were hit within moments of the door opening," Brown said. "I don't know if they even had the opportunity to return fire."

One deputy died at the scene and the second died on the way to the hospital, Brown said. She identified them as Robbie Chase Whitebird, 23, who had been with the sheriff's office since April 2008, and Marvin Williams, 43, who was hired by the agency in 2002.

Neighbor Jennifer Bowen, 22, had just returned from a walk with her two young children when a bullet hit her in the arm and entered her chest, the women's mother-in-law, Janet Bowen, said Monday.

Jennifer Bowen was in serious condition Monday at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City, a hospital spokesman said.

Holbert had a history of run-ins with the law. He was previously convicted of a misdemeanor count of outraging public decency in Oklahoma County and was the defendant in a case in which a Shawnee man sought a protective order against him. Details on those cases weren't immediately available.

[Mark71]

RIP. July has been a rough month for L.E.
:(

[jmtgsx]

Different account, more details.

By AARON CRESPO NewsOK.com
Published: 7/27/2009 2:27 AM
Last Modified: 7/27/2009 3:28 AM

SEMINOLE — Two Seminole County deputies were killed and a woman was wounded when a suspect opened fire while deputies were trying to serve an arrest warrant on him Sunday afternoon.

Ezekiel Holbert, 26, is jailed in Seminole County on first-degree murder complaints, said Jessica Brown, an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman.

Holbert was inside his mother's home when his mother called the police about 3 p.m., Brown said.

"She found out he was inside. He was not welcome, so she called Seminole County deputies," Brown said.

"When they knocked on the door, the suspect came out, Mister Holbert, firing a weapon. We don't know what kind of a weapon yet."

Shots hit two deputies, she said. One died at the scene and the other at OU Medical Center.

Brown said stray gunfire struck a woman walking down the street.

A nearby resident, Terry Bowen, identified the woman as his sister-in-law, Jennifer Bowen. He said a bullet went through her arm and into her chest.

He said she was flown to OU Medical Center, but her condition was not known Sunday night.

The names of the deputies were not released Sunday night.

Deputies were serving an arrest warrant issued in May naming Holbert on charges of domestic assault and battery by strangulation.

Several law enforcement agencies were summoned to assist in the search. Police vehicles lined the neighborhood's streets.

Authorities searched nearby homes and apartment buildings for the suspect but also believed that he might be in the house where the shots were fired.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol sent a robot with an audio speaker toward the house about 7 p.m.

OHP Lt. George Brown said, "Through a PA system on that robot, tactical units announced their presence and required the suspect to come out and surrender.

"The suspect did come out of the front of the residence and did surrender without further incident."

Bryan Hause said he was next door when the shooting started.

"And they said you got two seconds to open the door and they kicked the door in," Hause said of the deputies. "The guy was sitting there waiting on him and shot him.

"Then there was an innocent bystander. She got caught with a stray bullet.

"After that happened I grabbed (an) elderly woman and drug her into the garage and stayed down until it was all over with."

Bowen, who lives a couple of houses away from the shooting scene, said his sister-in-law was walking down the street with her two daughters when a law enforcement official ran past.

"Next thing you know, she spins around yelling, 'Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow,'" he said.

"My little 2-year-old niece comes running to me and she said, 'Something's wrong with Mommy.'"

Bowen that when the shooting began, "We thought it was firecrackers."

Police then began evacuating nearby homes.

Bowen said he understood the severity of the situation but was angry that his sister-in-law wasn't warned and at the way his family was pulled from their house.

"They jerked my little sister down the stairs and cut her arm. She couldn't walk down the steps," he said. "They don't need to get in that big of a hurry.

"They come to serve a warrant, doing their job, and he goes and fires on them, yeah, I understand.

"But, you know, they could have had the courage enough to tell everybody to stay in the house, or at least holler over here at her (his sister-in-law) and tell her to back up."

Judy Aradoz, who was checking in on her mother in a nearby apartment, said, "Cops came in with guns, searching the little place, looking for this guy.

"So they came into every apartment in the building and looked for him. My poor mom was sitting on the couch. She didn't know anything was going on."

Jean Fowler, who lives in a nearby apartment complex, said police also searched all of the apartments in her building.

"They checked it and they were very professional," she said. "They tried their best not to scare anybody, but they were thorough.

"I don't know, it's just a scary thing. It's just scary because if someone will shoot a policeman, he'll shoot anyone."

[woodandsteel]

RIP. July has been a rough month for L.E.
:(

According to the ODMP, Line Of Duty Deaths are up 16% this year from last year. And just this past weekend was a very bad one for LEO's. Stay Safe out there guys.

My condolances to the families and coworkers of the fallen deputies.

I'm surprised the shooter gave himself up. No matter, he'll soon have a date with the needle.:mad:

[R/Tdrvr]

My condolences and prayers go out to the families. Very sad. :(

To echo what woodandsteel posted, stay safe guys and please don't get complacent. There are no "routine" calls.

[Mjolnir]

According to the ODMP, Line Of Duty Deaths are up 16% this year from last year. And just this past weekend was a very bad one for LEO's. Stay Safe out there guys.

My condolances to the families and coworkers of the fallen deputies.

I'm surprised the shooter gave himself up. No matter, he'll soon have a date with the needle.:mad:
Good God. MY heartfelt condolences to the slain officers, their family and friends.

The violence will increase dramatically, I believe, with the failing economy.

[BigJim #1-8]

How Sad..
Prayers for the families.

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!!

[mechelaar]

RIP, Brothers. Condolences to the families, both immediate and LE.

[apache112a]

As a LEO myself, reading news like this is never easy to do. It feels like im losing a brother in arms. I dont know what my wife and kids would do if i just didnt come home one day. My wife is also an ER nurse at the local hospital in the city I work for, and again I dont know what she wold do if she saw me come in on a steretcher. With that said, also being that im an LEO it is very easy to monday morning quaterback the incident, and think about what tactical errors the officers or deputies made. In the past 2-3 years the killings of officers and deputies has skyrocketed to included the attempted murder of one of my Sgts. I am happy to say that although he sustainded a direct hit to the bottom of his vest, he made a complete recovery and the suspect received 6 AR-15 rounds and 3 .40 rounds to his body. The suspect did not die but is now confined to a wheelchair and will for the rest of his life be going to the bathroom in a plastic bag due to receiving one round straight in his rectom (thats just comical to me).

Reading the breif synopsis of the incidents involving the recent slainings of the officers it has appeared to me and several other officers that they made bad judgment calls. Going into a residence in which there is a berricaded subject inside with only two officers when it is known that weapons are inside, is not the best situation. Granted, every situation is different and reqiures different plans of actions, but thats not something I would not do. I want to make it VERY clear that I am in NO way saying that the fallen dupties and officers brought there death upon themselves. I am a firm believer that when it is your time, it is your time. Another incident is when two duputies (forgot the state) entered a gun range to arrest a guy for beating the crap out of his wife (while the guy was shooting at the range). In that situation, I know that atleast one deputy was shot and killed. Again not the best judgement call. It should be noted that in NO way do I consider myself to be perfect nor use the best judgement during some calls. For those who are LEO's know how $hit can hit the fan very fast, and you have mila-seconds to respond and react. I am just greatfull that nothing serious has ever happened.

My co-wokers and I joke around that the bad guys have all the luck. We pump several rounds into their bodies and they make a full recovery, but yet we get shot in the pinky finger and we are dead. It is a very eye opening experience to have to attend a funeral for a fallen hero knowing that at any time, it could be youself. I the case of my Sgt. the call came out as an attempted drive by shooting where the firearm jammed. After a 20 min vehicle pursuit which included several diffrerent agencies, the suspect crashed and attemtped to bail out of the vehicle. My Sgt. was the first to give chase and ended up in a hands on struggle with the suspect at the front of the vehicle. At the time my Sgt. was going for his taser due to the resisting at which time the suspect was able to push my Sgt off him and contiue to run. It should be noted that no gun was seen when the suspect exited the vehicle attempting to run. While running away from officers, the suspect grabbed his gun (which I believed to be in his waistband and shot back at officers from under his armpit. The suspect only fired TWICE. Again, this is the luck part of my above statement. For the guys that are LEO's or even military, that have been in a incident involving a partner being shot or killed, it is the most "holy shit" moment in your life when you hear them screaming on the radio yelling they just been shot. All I heard was "shots fired, shots fired, IVE BEEN HIT, IVE BEEN SHOT!). That is a very scary incident to go through.

My prayers are with the familes of the involved deputies, and officers. Hearing their stories makes me that much more dedicated to my work. God Bless.

[faithmyeyes]

Condolences and blessings to the families of these men, and thanks to all the LEOs who take these risks daily. I think I'd rather be a soldier in a combat zone where I knew things were hot, than have to deal with some of the unpredictability and outright insanity you guys encounter.

[Surf]

RIP Brothers!

[Cascades236]

God speed brothers