Witness Recounts Distraught Man Firing At OKC Police Officer

Oklahoma City police release details about the first officer involved shooting of 2018. The 36-year-old suspect, described as distraught, pulled a gun on an officer and fired at him.

Read Related Story: 1 Hospitalized After Officer Involved Shooting In NW OKC

The owner of the business where police said the suspect, Jason Smith, was firing his gun, created the disturbance so police would respond.

“He told me,” said David Eden, suspect’s friend. “He said the first cop that drives by, I’m going to shoot at him so they will kill me.”

Officer Mark List was near Northwest 23rd and Brookline Avenue helping a motorist when he heard the disturbance. When Officer List went to check out the problem, he encountered Smith.

“When he got there the suspect pulled a gun on him and started shooting at the officer,” said Capt. Bo Mathews, Oklahoma City Police Department.

Officer List fired back, hitting the suspect. There are marks on the top of the carport at the business where bullets were flying. Police do not know at this time how many shots were fired by Smith or the officer.

The gunman was injured and transported to the hospital.

Eden is happy to hear Smith will survive even though that is not what the man wanted.

“He lost his house to foreclosure and stuff,” said Eden. “He’s had a lot of bad stuff going down you know and I was letting him stay in a camper out here. It was just too much for him to handle last night.”

Eden said he has seen Smith get angry before, but never pull out a gun. He said police had the entire area blocked off and were on the scene for about five hours. 

“There was 30 or 40 cops,” said Eden.

Police said it will take even more time to complete the investigation.

“It’s early on in the investigation, so we don’t know all the facts,” said Capt. Mathews. “It takes about three weeks to finish up an officer involved shooting.”

Officer List was not injured in the shootout. He has been placed on paid administrative leave.