Oklahoma County Deputy Stable After Shooting That Killed Colleague

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma deputy sheriff remained hospitalized in stable condition Tuesday following a shooting that killed a fellow deputy in southwest Oklahoma City, authorities said.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Aaron Brilbeck said the wounded deputy has “decades” of experience, but declined further comment or to release the wounded deputy’s name.

Sgt. Bobby Swartz died Monday after being shot while serving eviction-related papers at a home in southwest Oklahoma City, according to county Sheriff Tommie Johnson III.

“It’s sad day for the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office,” an emotional Johnson said during a Monday news conference.

“We had two deputies who were serving papers … (and) contacted the individual at the front door. They went around to the back door and that’s when the shooting began,” Johnson said, shortly before breaking into tears and walking away from reporters.

Authorities have not said why the deputies went to the back door, saying a news conference was planned Tuesday afternoon to discuss the shooting.

Police arrested Benjamin Plank, 35, on first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and shooting from a vehicle warrants, said police Capt. Valerie Littlejohn.

After shooting the deputies, Plank loaded “several firearms” into a vehicle that was towing a boat and fled the scene, Littlejohn said.

Police spotted and began pursing Plank, who shot at officers during the chase as two officers returned fire, according to Littlejohn. The two officers are now on paid leave.

Video from a news helicopter showed police chasing a pickup truck hauling a boat across the city to the entrance of Tinker Air Force Base, where the driver was taken into custody after he threw a rifle out the window and exited the truck with his hands raised.

Jail records do not list an attorney who could speak on behalf of Plank, who was being held without bond.