Okla. Cops Release Dramatic Video of Shootout With Fugitive

Suspect broke through roadblock, fired at police
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 2, 2016 12:03 AM CDT

A state trooper fired dozens of rounds from an automatic rifle through the windshield of his cruiser at a fugitive as the two sped down a rural western Oklahoma roadway in a dramatic shootout depicted on videos released on Tuesday. The videos show Michael Vance, driving a stolen flat-bed pickup truck, careening through a roadblock as troopers fired at his vehicle. Several troopers then joined in the chase, firing at Vance, who was returning fire with an assault rifle loaded with two 30-round magazines, the AP reports. At the end of the chase, Vance exited the truck and used it as cover as he fired several shots while the vehicle rolled toward the officers. About 30 seconds after he exits the vehicle, Vance can be seen collapsing onto the roadway while troopers continue to return fire.

"Michael Vance was our worst-case scenario," said Michael Thompson, Oklahoma's commissioner of public safety. "He was a determined, violent criminal with no regard for public safety, no regard for public life, and he had nothing to lose." Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigators say five troopers who fired their weapons have been placed on routine administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing. Vance was wanted for a string of violent crimes, including the shooting of two Wellston police officers and the killing of two relatives near Luther, and he posted two live videos on Facebook during a week on the run from police. Three people have been arrested and are facing felony charges for helping Vance evade capture. (More Oklahoma stories.)

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