By Kevin Cole
Omaha World-Herald
OMAHA, Neb. — An Omaha police officer shot and wounded a 32-year-old man Tuesday who had escaped from a state correctional facility.
Walter DeLong, the wounded man, was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition. Lt. Darci Tierney, a police spokeswoman, said DeLong’s injuries are not considered life-threatening.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound DeLong escaped from the Community Corrections Center at 2320 Ave. J in east Omaha early Monday.
Shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday, members of the Omaha Police Department’s Metro Fugitives Task force went to an address near 96th Street and Park Drive, looking for DeLong. Tierney said the task force had information that DeLong would be in the area because of “a domestic relationship.”
Tierney said officers confronted DeLong, who ran to a 2001 Honda CRV and forced the driver out of the vehicle. The driver was not injured.
Officer Jeff Gassaway approached the vehicle on foot, Tierney said, and DeLong swerved in his direction. Gassaway then fired his weapon “more than once,” Tierney said.
DeLong, although wounded, drove off in the Honda.
“The members of the task force lost sight of the stolen vehicle because they had to return to their cars to begin pursuit,” Tierney said. “They did not know where he had gone until they heard the 911 call for a shooting victim.”
DeLong pulled into a Woodhouse auto dealership near 67th and L Streets about 11:30 a.m. and, according to a bystander, literally fell out of the Honda.
Dustin Schumacher, a Florida State University student and former Omaha resident, came out of a nearby business and saw DeLong lying next to the Honda.
Someone called 911 to report a man who appeared to be suffering from a gunshot wound, and police officers arrived a minute or two later.
Schumacher said DeLong appeared to be wounded on his right side. A hospital spokeswoman said no information on his condition was being released.
DeLong, who is serving an eight- to 10-year sentence for burglary, left the Community Corrections Center about 1:50 a.m. Monday.
Ed Fabian, the assistant warden at the Community Corrections Center, said DeLong ran from the facility as staff members searched his room.
A cell phone, which inmates are not allowed to possess, was found in the room.
DeLong is serving his fourth prison stint for a felony offense. He has previously been convicted of making terroristic threats, using a deadly weapon to commit a robbery and burglary.
Gassaway is a 10-year veteran of the Police Department. He and Officer Mark Noonan shared the 2004 CrimeStoppers Officer of the Year Award.
Gassaway was also honored in 2007 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for his role in the investigation and prosecution of drug and weapon offenses involving a faction of the Surenos street gang.
Copyright 2008 The Omaha World-Herald Company