By Mary Jane Epling
The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
OLIVE HILL, Ky. — A police officer in Olive Hill was injured in a targeted shooting, Kentucky State Police said.
Witnesses say a sole shot rang out just before 3 p.m. on Monday, temporarily bringing the small town to a standstill.
An Olive Hill city official confirmed the subject drove the wrong way down Railroad Street before pausing long enough to raise a high-powered rifle, firing a single shot through the window of Officer Joe Preston’s cruiser.
Preston was sitting inside of his cruiser near the Olive Hill Railroad Depot and First National Bank.
Carter County Sheriff Jeff May said Preston was not hit, however, he did suffer from glass shrapnel to his arm, but he is in stable condition.
Preston was life-flighted to St. Mary’s immediately after the shooting.
A nearby business owner said she heard the shot and witnessed the chaos following the shooting.
The shop owner, who wished to stay anonymous, said following the gunshot she heard a man scream to pedestrians to “get back” and “stay down.”
Initially thinking the bank was being robbed, the woman quickly realized the gravity of the situation when she witnessed Preston being lowered to the ground from his cruiser.
“There’s been a cop shot,” she recalls saying over the phone.
First responders from all over quickly descended on the scene and a shelter-in-place was ordered around 4 p.m for all of downtown Olive Hill. The shelter-in-place was lifted by 9 p.m., according to KSP.
Little details have been revealed regarding the individual or his appearance but May urged citizens to stay clear of the Tick Ridge area.
“He shot at one of our own. We’ll take care of business,” May said.
The suspect was at-large for several hours before being arrested by a SWAT team early Tuesday morning, WSAZ reports.
A city official, who also wished to remain anonymous, said he believed the incident stemmed from a previous domestic call that Preston worked.
Kentucky State Police have officially taken over the case.
NEXT: Preparing for and responding to an ambush attack in your police vehicle
_
(c)2023 The Daily Independent (Ashland, Ky.)
Visit The Daily Independent (Ashland, Ky.) at www.dailyindependent.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.