Suspect charged in shooting death of 2 Concho County sheriff’s deputies

EDEN, Texas (KCBD) - The Concho County Sheriff’s Office has identified the two deputies killed in a shootout Monday night.

Deputy Samuel Leonard and Sergeant Stephen Jones were both brought from Eden, near San Angelo, to Lubbock Tuesday for autopsies. They were welcomed by Lubbock police along with other area law enforcement and the fallen officers’ families.

Deputy Leonard and Sgt. Jones were killed in the line of duty after Jeffery Nicholas, 28, led them on a short chase in Eden, Texas. Nicholas then barricaded himself inside a building where shots were fired.

Nicholas has been arrested and charged with two counts of Capital Murder of a Peace Officer. He was booked into the Tom Green County Jail. He’s held on a $4 million bond.

According to police, another victim was injured and taken to Shannon Medical Center for their injuries. Their condition is unknown at this time.

The Lubbock Police Department said in a statement it was “heartbroken” to learn of the deaths.

Governor Abbott said in a statement their deaths are a “solemn reminder of of the risks our brave law enforcement officers face while protecting our communities”.

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