Suspect In TPD Officer Shooting Dies From Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

A man suspected of shooting a Tulsa police officer in a Sunday afternoon pursuit shot himself in the head during a standoff that followed, police have confirmed. He has been transported to a hospital.

Sunday, August 16th 2015, 5:10 pm

By: News On 6


A man suspected of shooting a Tulsa police officer in a Sunday afternoon pursuit then shot himself in the head during a standoff that followed, police have confirmed.

Ex-convict Jeremie Shawn Kelly, 35, was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

The TPD officer was shot near Pine and Sheridan about 3:45 p.m. Police confirm the officer, veteran Cpl. Gene Watkins, was wounded in the leg and was taken to a hospital earlier in the day.

News On 6 sources confirm that Watkins is a member of the Northern Oklahoma Violent Crimes Task Force and was pursing Kelly at the time he was shot, trying to serve a warrant for domestic violence. Watkins is expected to recover from his injuries.

After Watkins was shot, Kelly ran, but police helicopters found him in the vicinity. He then engaged TPD in a standoff at a nearby residence until about 7 p.m.

Throughout the standoff, family waited around for hours, at times sinking to the ground in tears, desperate to know what would happen.

"It's never a happy ending when someone loses their life or when someone tries to shoot themselves," TPD Officer Demita Kinard said.

Frank Lewis says Kelly was his sister's boyfriend.

"Two weeks ago, he beat up my sister," Lewis said. "He destroyed her house; we called the police."

Police wouldn't speak about the arrest warrant. They only would say it was for choking someone.

"I heard him say it come out of his own words that if he gets confronted by the police he take will her life, her kids life, his own life [and] he is not going back prison. He just shot an officer. What else do I need to say?" Lewis said.

Officers said they tried to coax him out of the house by speaking with him through other family members, but he shot himself instead.

Two relatives who were in the home were taken into custody.

Kelly has served time in prison twice for drug-related offenses, records show.
 

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

August 16th, 2015

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024