You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
-War on Police-
Veteran Oklahoma police officer killed, rookie in critical condition, after suspect shoots both in the head
2020-07-03
[ABCNEWS.GO] A veteran Tulsa, Oklahoma, police officer died Tuesday after a traffic stop went wrong.

Six weeks after Officer Aurash Zarkeshan completed training with the Tulsa Police Department, he made a regular traffic stop on East 21st Street early Monday morning, police said.

After Zarkeshan ran David Anthony Ware's information into the system, he called for backup.

Ware refused to comply with officers' commands to step out of his car, said Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin at a press conference on Monday.

Johnson displayed a stun gun and asked Ware to get out of the car 12 times before firing. Franklin said the stun gun was not effective and Zarkeshan also pepper-sprayed Ware.

A struggle ensued and Ware pulled out a gun and fired "several shots at close range," striking both officers in the head, said Franklin.

"The driver slowly walked away from the vehicle and went to another car that was waiting for him," Franklin said.

Both officers were taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Johnson, a 15-year veteran, died on Tuesday afternoon. He leaves behind a wife and two young sons.

Ware, 33, and his accomplice 29-year-old Matthew Hall were arrested.

Prosecutors added first-degree murder to Ware's case on Tuesday in addition to two counts of shooting with intent to kill and criminal possession of a weapon charges. Hall faces accomplice to murder and accomplice to felony charges.

Ware is expected to appear before a judge on Thursday and Hall is expected in court on September 2, according to online records.

They are both being held without bond in Tulsa County jail, according to online records.
Update from Tulsa World at 4:10 p.m. EDT:
Ware was arguing that the officers were “violating his rights” as they informed him that the vehicle would be towed due to the expired temporary tags, according to court documents.
Twitter has a photo of the miscreant:
Posted by:Fred

#7  ...I'd place a bet in Las Vegas his defense attorney will use them all and create new ones in a desperate attempt to avoid justice.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2020-07-03 20:36  

#6  Precisely, magpie.

Good find, JohnQC. I wonder if it will be discovered that Mr. Ware is somewhat schizophrenic, bipolar, ADHD, or a frequent pot user.
Posted by: trailing wife   2020-07-03 16:21  

#5  Shooter has a long list of priors and run-ins with the law.

David Anthony Ware.
Posted by: JohnQC   2020-07-03 12:03  

#4  This so stupid, or malicious (as in provoking incidents), or both...

As a kid we were travelling the Interstate through the Carolinas, me and my mother and older sister, when a gas station attendant gave us a warning. The Highway Patrol had been losing about an Officer a month because smugglers were moving semi-trailer loads of cigarettes trying to avoid the tobacco taxes. We were advised to be very, Very careful if we were pulled over because the patrolmen were "on edge"...

This is not going to get better soon.
Posted by: magpie   2020-07-03 11:47  

#3  Nothing like turning a traffic ticket into a capital murder beef.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2020-07-03 09:13  

#2  Fast? I doubt it. While I never had the privledge personally I have bailed out no small number of rig hands from time to time to keep the daily festivities going. Thus I opine they may not altogether enjoy their stay in the Tulsa co lockup. Let 'em rot.
Posted by: Cesare   2020-07-03 08:07  

#1  Okie has the death penalty. Wonder if they can move him as fast as Tim McVeigh through the system.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2020-07-03 07:35  

00:00