Deputies shoot, kill man near Okarche
OKARCHE — Five Canadian County officers have been placed on paid administrative leave in connection with the killing of a suspected truck thief who was pursued into Kingfisher County by up to a dozen law enforcement vehicles.
The fatal shooting happened about 1 p.m. Monday on U.S. 81, just north of Okarche in Kingfisher County, after the suspect crashed and allegedly emerged from a pickup with a handgun. He was fired upon by five officers with the Canadian County sheriff's department.
Canadian County Sheriff Chris West said all five were placed on paid administrative leave pending a review by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
West said he thought about a dozen law enforcement vehicles were part of the Monday chase, including eight from Canadian County. Law enforcement from El Reno, Union City and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol assisted in the pursuit.
The man was suspected of stealing a vehicle in Oklahoma City and abandoning it before stealing a Braum’s Dairy Farm pickup in Grady County. That pickup became stuck and he took another pickup from the business before the pursuit.
West said the man may have taken the gun from the vehicle stolen from Oklahoma City before leading officers on the chase, in which speeds reached over 100 mph. The man was reportedly driving erratically and weaving in and out of traffic during the pursuit.
The five officers placed on leave are: Maj. John Bridges, Lt. Bryan Dellinger,
Lt. Jason Glass, Deputy Sheriff Chris Sonaggera and deputy Christopher Contreras.
The Kingfisher incident was the second in about a week involving an Oklahoma sheriff's department fatally shooting a suspect.
On Sept. 29, Justin Snelson, 54, of Beggs, was shot to death by an Okmulgee County deputy after he led them on a chase on his motorcycle. Snelson was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the deputy who shot Snelson has not been released.
No other information about the September shooting has been released. The OSBI is also investigating that incident.