This Tuesday, May 11, 2021, booking photo provided by the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office, in San Angelo, Texas, shows Jeffrey Nicholas. Nicholas is charged with shooting two West Texas sheriff’s deputies dead and critically wounding a city employee answering a dog complaint, authorities said. (Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:30 PM PT – Wednesday, May 12, 2021
A Texas police department is mourning the loss of two fellow deputies who were killed in a shootout on Monday night.
On Tuesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety said the bodies of the two officers arrived in Lubbock for an autopsy. The bodies of the victims were identified as Deputy Samuel Leonard and Sergeant Stephen Jones.
According to officials, 28-year-old Jeffrey Nicholas fatally shot the two Concho County sheriff’s deputies and critically wounded a city employee while they were responding to a call about a dog complaint. Reports say that the two officers were involved in a car chase with the suspect who later barricaded himself inside a building in Eden, where an altercation occurred and quickly escalated to gun fire. The city employee was taken to a hospital. However, their condition is unknown at this time.
Nicholas was arrested and charged with two counts of Capitol Murder of a Peace Officer and is being held on a $4 million bond.
Our hearts go out to the family & friends of 2 Concho County Sheriff’s deputies who were killed in the line of duty last night.
This terrible loss is a solemn reminder of the risks our brave law enforcement officers face while protecting our communities. https://t.co/VMAMUGffRR
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 11, 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) expressed his condolences to the family and friends of the officers. He said their deaths are a solemn reminder of the risks our brave law enforcement officers face while protecting our communities.
