| Updated: 7/23/2010 8:06 am |
Published: 7/21/2010 6:38 pm |
A Diamonhead police officer is in the hospital after getting shot while investigating a domestic dispute. Diamondhead is a gated community located south of Hot Springs. No charges have been filed in the shooting of Diamondhead police officer Fred Ensminger. Suspect Jerry Chambliss is no longer in custody. Investigators are still piecing together the events from Wednesday night to try and figure out what happened.
Evidence has been sent to the Crime lab. Officer Ensminger observed a traffic violation on his way home in his private vehicle and followed the vehicle when it did not stop to a residence in the 300 block of Coolwood Drive.
In the meantime, a resident of Coolwood Drive called the Diamondhead Police Department to say his wife was being followed. When she arrived there was a confrontation at the house with shots being fired by both parties.
A wrecker had to haul off Officer Fred Ensminger's pickup truck. He drove to get help after being shot in the shoulder. Investigators say it all happened a little after 5 Wednesday afternoon. The front window of Officer Ensminger truck is covered in bullet holes.
Police say Officer Ensminger was responding to a disturbance at the 300 block of Coolwood in Diamondhead. That's when they say resident Jerry Chambliss fired a shot that hit the Officer Ensminger on his shoulder.
When asked what Diamondhead police Chief Pat Mahoney's reaction was to when he found out an officer was shot he said, "Well I wasn't sure who he was at first when I was called. I was already off and then they advised me on the radio, we just showed up at the scene. My concern was not actually who it was but how he was and how bad the shot was.
Chief Mahoney says Ensminger may have to undergo surgery but is expected to be OK.
"We are very happy that the officer is ok and extremely glad that the suspect is in custody. It just makes it easier on everybody, the other officers, his family," says Deputy Judy Daniel with the Garland County Sheriff's Department.
Investigators are not describing the circumstances of the disturbance and why Officer Ensminger had to respond to the home. Officer Ensminger is recovering at a Hot Springs hospital where his injuries are not life threatening.
The Diamondhead Community has about 2,000 residents, and is located about 15 miles southeast of Hot Springs.
