Burleson Police Officer Joshua Lott Recovering After Being Shot Multiple Times, Suspect In Custody
BURLESON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Burleson Police Officer Joshua Lott is hospitalized and alert and in stable condition after being shot in the line of duty, Burleson Police Chief Billy Cordell said Wednesday afternoon, April 14.
Officer Lott was shot in the chest, just below the shoulder and through the neck.
"He was ambushed. He was absolutely ambushed," Chief Cordell said.
The man suspected in the shooting during a traffic stop early Wednesday, Jerry Don Elders, 39, was arrested in Gainesville, Texas.
The DPS said, around 1:30 p.m., Highway Patrol Troopers located a vehicle matching the description of the one being driven by Elders.
The stolen silver Toyota pickup was traveling north on IH-35 near FM 1306 in Cooke County.
Troopers activated their emergency lights and attempted to stop the pickup.
Elders did not stop and continued north on I-35 before taking the Weaver Street exit.
Elders abandoned the pickup on Shadowood Lane and ran.
He was taken into custody a short distance away by local police and taken to the Cooke County Jail.
The three occupants of the vehicle involved also are suspected in a carjacking shortly thereafter in which the woman driver was shot dead, police said.
A search continued in the Gainesville area for another person who fled the stolen vehicle, he said. A third person is being questioned "and we'll see where that goes," Chief Cordell said.
"Officer Lott was fortunate today when there have been other officers that were not. Our prayers are with Officer Lott and his family, the innocent victim's family whose life was taken when it is believed the suspect carjacked her vehicle, and to all law enforcement officers across the country and their families," the Burleson Police Department said in a news release.
Officer Lott began his career with the Burleson Police Department in May 2017.
"Officer Lott has served this community with great pride, and he has received several accolades in his short tenure with BPD. He was awarded two life-saving awards, one in 2018 and one in 2020. He was given a police commendation in 2019 for work he made to recover seven motorcycles at Burleson Power Sports," the department said. "We understand our community will want to know what to do to help Officer Lott and his family. You can reach out lcauthern@burlesontx.com and she will assist in coordination."
"Burleson Police Department expresses our sincere appreciation to the multiple agencies who assisted and offered assistance, the U.S. Marshal's Office, Texas Rangers and Department of Public Safety. We also want to express our thank you to the medical staff at John Peter Smith Hospital who rendered care to our officer. Thank you to our community for their love and well wishes," the department said.
Elders has been charged in an arrest warrant with aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon, a first-degree felony punishable by up to life in prison.
Chief Cordell said Elders or a companion then knocked on a door of a vehicle, shot the woman at the wheel dead and stole her vehicle.
It was that vehicle from which police later saw Elders and another person fleeing, he said.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
