Intensive efforts continue and leads are being followed to find the suspects who shot a Pottawatomie County sheriff’s deputy four times during a traffic stop Wednesday night.
Deputy Joe Leeds, and his K-9 partner, Judo, stopped a red, mid-90s extended cab pickup about 7:30 p.m. at New Hope and Patterson roads in the Bethel Acres area.
A passenger in the pickup fired at least five rounds at the deputy from the rear sliding glass window, which was tinted. Leeds, who was struck in his bulletproof vest four times, was hit, but escaped serious injury thanks to his bulletproof vest. His dog wasn’t hurt.
Capt. Travis Palmer said Friday that they’ve been following several leads in the case, and as of Friday afternoon, they had checked at least 50 red Chevrolet pickups in the area.
The truck, which had no tag, was believed to be occupied by three white males.
“There were three in that cab — at least one pulled the trigger,” Palmer said. He said as far as the occupants of the truck who didn’t pull the trigger, it might be a good idea for them to contact authorities and tell what they know.
After the shooting, a barrage of law enforcement officers from near and far showed up to offer assistance to their brothers in law enforcement.
“We never put out anything for help. When they knew an officer was shot in Pottawatomie County, they were here,” Palmer said.
Tribal officers, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, sheriff’s deputies from both Seminole and Oklahoma counties, and someone from every police agency in the county, responded to help search for the suspect vehicle after the shooting, he said. Several continue to help.
“We appreciate all the help, calls and support,” Palmer said.
The fatal shootings of two Seminole County deputies in 2009 — Chase Whitebird and Marvin Williams — brought the law enforcement community closer, Palmer said.
Ironically, Leeds, a former Seminole County deputy, worked with both of those men, who weren’t wearing bulletproof vests when they were shot while trying to serve an arrest warrant.
Leeds, who is taking some time off to be with his family, said he always wears a vest.
Thursday, he put his finger through one of the holes in the vest he was wearing and said, “Without this vest, I wouldn’t be here.”
“Everyday we wake up and every day we go home from a job like this is a good day,” Leeds said.
Many tips are being checked as the investigation continues.
“There’s a guy out there who wants to shoot at cops — this is extremely serious for every law enforcement officer,” Sheriff Mike Booth said.
Based on the deputy’s description, the red truck was an extended cab commercial style 1500 or 2500 mid-90s model Chevrolet.
It had a rear back glass that was tinted and the glass had one sliding piece. There was no tag present on the vehicle and it was reported to have a receiver hitch on the bumper.
Leeds said he’s not sure if the pickup was a two- or four-wheel drive, but the truck was higher than most. The bumper was thought to be cut behind where the tag is typically displayed.
Anyone with information should call the sheriff’s office, 405-273-1727 and speak to Capt. Palmer or Lt. Mike Carnell.
