|
|
|
An investigation of a domestic dispute mid-Wednesday afternoon resulted in a shootout between a suspect and a McDonald County deputy.
As a result, the suspect, Al Davis, age unknown, of Goodman, is dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, while the deputy, Kenen L. Martinez, endured a gunshot wound to the upper inner thigh near the femoral artery.
The incident began shortly after noon Wednesday when Martinez was sent to Sawmill Terrace Apartments in Goodman to a call of a domestic dispute.
Upon arrival, Davis, described as 6-foot, 220 pounds and of Native American origin, pulled out handgun and opened fire on the deputy, hitting him in the upper leg, before escaping north in a dark blue Chevrolet pickup that bore Oklahoma license plates.
“I don’t know if the other guy was hit, but he was able to flee the scene in his vehicle,” said McDonald County Sheriff Robert Evenson later Wednesday afternoon from a Joplin hospital where Martinez was transferred from Freeman Neosho after the shooting.
Evenson said his deputies started a manhunt on the McDonald County side, while officers with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department combed the south end of Newton County. At around 1 p.m., Newton County deputies spotted the suspect vehicle near State Highway 43 and Route DD and a chase ensued north on Highway 43, according to Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland.
Copeland and his deputies set up a roadblock at U.S. Highway 60 and Highway 43. Copeland said he saw the suspect’s vehicle approaching with the deputies in pursuit. Before it reached the roadblock, however, the suspect truck veered off the road and crashed. When deputies approached the vehicle they discovered that Davis had shot himself in the head with a handgun. Copeland did not specify the caliber. Davis was pronounced dead on the scene.
Martinez, the deputy sheriff, is in good condition, according to Evenson.
Evenson said personnel at Freeman Neosho conducted tests, including an ultrasound, before transferring Martinez to the Joplin facility. At about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Evenson was waiting with Martinez for a vascular surgeon to examine Martinez and determine if there was a need for surgery.
“If there’s no surgery, they could let him go home tonight,” the sheriff said.
Martinez was allowed to go home at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Evenson said in a telephone call later that evening.
“I have no clue as to how long it will take for him to get healed up,” he said. “Hopefully, he won’t be out long, and that’s not just me being selfish about work, either. We hope he will get back to work soon.”
Evenson said Martinez’s mother also works for the sheriff’s department as the office manager.
“Once we knew he was OK, everything got much, much better,” the sheriff said.
An investigation of a domestic dispute mid-Wednesday afternoon resulted in a shootout between a suspect and a McDonald County deputy.
As a result, the suspect, Al Davis, age unknown, of Goodman, is dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, while the deputy, Kenen L. Martinez, endured a gunshot wound to the upper inner thigh near the femoral artery.
The incident began shortly after noon Wednesday when Martinez was sent to Sawmill Terrace Apartments in Goodman to a call of a domestic dispute.
Upon arrival, Davis, described as 6-foot, 220 pounds and of Native American origin, pulled out handgun and opened fire on the deputy, hitting him in the upper leg, before escaping north in a dark blue Chevrolet pickup that bore Oklahoma license plates.
“I don’t know if the other guy was hit, but he was able to flee the scene in his vehicle,” said McDonald County Sheriff Robert Evenson later Wednesday afternoon from a Joplin hospital where Martinez was transferred from Freeman Neosho after the shooting.
Evenson said his deputies started a manhunt on the McDonald County side, while officers with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department combed the south end of Newton County. At around 1 p.m., Newton County deputies spotted the suspect vehicle near State Highway 43 and Route DD and a chase ensued north on Highway 43, according to Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland.
Copeland and his deputies set up a roadblock at U.S. Highway 60 and Highway 43. Copeland said he saw the suspect’s vehicle approaching with the deputies in pursuit. Before it reached the roadblock, however, the suspect truck veered off the road and crashed. When deputies approached the vehicle they discovered that Davis had shot himself in the head with a handgun. Copeland did not specify the caliber. Davis was pronounced dead on the scene.
Martinez, the deputy sheriff, is in good condition, according to Evenson.
Evenson said personnel at Freeman Neosho conducted tests, including an ultrasound, before transferring Martinez to the Joplin facility. At about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Evenson was waiting with Martinez for a vascular surgeon to examine Martinez and determine if there was a need for surgery.
“If there’s no surgery, they could let him go home tonight,” the sheriff said.
Martinez was allowed to go home at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Evenson said in a telephone call later that evening.
“I have no clue as to how long it will take for him to get healed up,” he said. “Hopefully, he won’t be out long, and that’s not just me being selfish about work, either. We hope he will get back to work soon.”
Evenson said Martinez’s mother also works for the sheriff’s department as the office manager.
“Once we knew he was OK, everything got much, much better,” the sheriff said.
