Oklahoma Sheriff chokes up ‘praying for’ deputies shot in Pennsylvania Avenue

Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III was visibly emotional talking about the two deputies who were shot while serving eviction papers at a Pennsylvania Avenue home on Monday. The suspect fled the scene in a truck before surrendering at the entrance to Tinker Air Force Base, officials said.

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The deputies were serving papers at a home on Southwest 78th Street near Pennsylvania Avenue at around 1:30 PM (local time). As per Sheriff Johnson, they made contact with the suspect at the front door. 

The suspect shot at the first deputy. The second deputy was trying to get the first to safety when authorities said the suspect shot him.

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Both of them suffered serious injuries and were rushed to local hospitals for treatment. Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed around 3:50 p.m. that one of the deputies died.

The suspect fled in a truck and exchanged gunfire with officers from the Oklahoma City Police Department during the chase. He dropped a rifle out of his window and surrendered at the entrance to Tinker Air Force Base, which is about 10 miles east of where the shooting took place. 

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An emotional Johnson said that he is praying for the deputies. 

“They went around to the back door and that’s when the shooting began, shot the first deputy. The second deputy tried to get that deputy out of the way… of gunfire, and then he was struck as well,” Johnson said.

“My deputies are here at the hospital. Just praying for them. Praying for their families.”

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“This was about as routine as it gets. These guys, what they do is they do lockouts and serve papers and that’s pretty much all they do, and they do it extraordinarily well,” Sheriff’s Office spokesman Aaron Brilbeck told reporters.

Authorities have not released the deputies’ names yet. Police took the suspect to the hospital. They do not believe he was shot. 

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The Oklahoma City Police Department said it will not release the suspect’s name until Tuesday.

“Heartbreaking day. Two @OkCountySheriff deputies were shot in the line of duty, one was killed. I spoke with Sheriff Tommie Johnson. We are praying for the fallen deputy’s family and for the deputy still fighting for their life,” Governor Kevin Stitt tweeted.