OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (AP) — Court documents show the man suspected of fatally shooting an Oklahoma deputy sheriff and wounding another also fired at but missed a third deputy.
A probable cause affidavit alleges Benjamin Plank, 35, fatally shot Oklahoma County Sgt Bobby Swartz, wounded deputy Mark Johns and shot at the third deputy, whose name has not been released, as they tried to serve him with eviction papers in Oklahoma City.
Based on the affidavit, a judge on found probable cause of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill, assault with a deadly weapon and shooting from a vehicle to order that Plank be held without bond pending the filing of formal charges
Court and jail records do not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
| RELATED >> TWO OKLAHOMA DEPUTIES SHOT, ONE DIES, SERVING EVICTION PAPERS
The affidavit says Swartz, Johns and the third deputy went to the front door of the home to serve the papers, but Plank refused to exit the home.
Swartz and Johns then went to the rear of the house in an attempt to enter as the third deputy remained in front of the home.
“As the deputies approached the back door, they were met with gunfire,” killing Swartz.
| RELATED >> SERVICES SET FOR OFFICER KILLED IN BARRAGE OF GUNFIRE
Plank then entered a garage where he shot, but missed the third deputy, then went outside and exchanged gunfire with Johns, wounding Johns, the affidavit states.
Plank then fled in a pickup truck towing a boat and exchanged gunfire with pursuing law enforcement officers before stopping at an entrance to Tinker Air Force Base, where he was tackled, shot with a stun gun and arrested.
Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley, whose department is investigating the shooting, said that a rifle, handguns and ammunition were seized from Plank and that he has “100% confidence” Plank planned to kill “any law enforcement that came to his house,”
In Oklahoma a conviction on First Degree Murder could result in the death penalty.
Services for Sgt Swartz were last week in Bethany, Okla.
Stay with Joplin News First on KOAM News Now as we continue to learn more. Scroll below and sign up for our JLNews email list so you don’t miss an article.
| MORE JOPLIN NEWS FIRST• Seneca school threat was 14-year-old student BIT.ly/3KybvdX• Dadeville Superintendent obituary BIT.ly/3R4xxrd• Whataburger Joplin agenda details future possibilities BIT.ly/3q0yFjy• Ozarko Tire Shop burns BIT.ly/3Rqkgcq• 150-yo church burns in Fort Scott BIT.ly/3Rmbn3n• Deluge of rain, two unrelated I-44 crashes BIT.ly/3AVwV1h
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY KOAM NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.