Sheriff's Deputy Killed, Officer Injured In Hood County Shootout

HOOD COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - Hood County Deputy Sheriff Lance McLean of Hico died Saturday at 11:45 a.m. in a Fort Worth hospital after being shot during a shootout Friday in Granbury, Sheriff Roger Deeds confirmed. "Everybody's having a tough time dealing with it," Deeds said. McLean is survived by his wife and two special needs children.

The gunman also injured another officer before he was killed. Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) held a press conference on behalf of the Hood County Sheriff's Department and Granbury police. They initially released the wrong name of the suspect. The gunman was later identified as Ricky Don McCommas, 49.

Police said Sgt. McLean, 38, was shot in the head after he responded to a disturbance call at a house on Oak Trail Shores, just north of the city just before 11 a.m.

The deputy was taken John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth where he was listed in critical condition Friday night. McLean worked for the Hood County Sheriff's Office five years. Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Lonny Haschel said McCommas left the location after shooting McLean. A backup Hood County Sheriff's deputy called for assistance and let other members of law enforcement know that suspect McCommas was driving a white van with the windows shot out. "Officers quickly located that van, at which time McCommas drove the van into the Granbury City Hall parking lot," Haschel explained.

Officers followed McCommas to the parking lot, just off Houston Street in downtown Granbury. Officials say McCommas stopped the van and opened fire.

Tina Brown owns a shop on the downtown square and said she heard gunfire that sounded like firecrackers. Brown said when she looked outside she saw a deputy with a rifle, who exchanged gunshots with another individual. After she'd taken cover and heard no more gunshots, Brown said she looked out and saw someone lying injured on the ground.

The square around the Granbury Courthouse was placed on lock down. The damaged white-colored van sat abandoned at the scene for hours. A semi-automatic rifle was near the van. (See picture above.)

Officers returned fire and struck McComas several times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

During that shootout Trooper Haschel said, "Granbury PD Officer Chad Davis suffered a gunshot wound to an upper extremity." Granbury Police Chief Mitch Galvan said Saturday that Davis was being moved out of intensive care. In addition to Davis' shoulder wound, Galvan said doctors found three bullet fragments in his knee.

Galvan said he and his officers knew McLean well. "This has been a tremendous loss," he said. "You can't replace Sgt. Lance McLean."

Galvan called McLean a leader with a "great sense of humor."

"He was a very caring man. His family was his life and his job was his life."

The shootings are being investigated by the Hood County Sheriff's Department, Granbury Police department and the Texas Rangers.

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