Staff Report
MURRAY – An officer-involved shooting occurred outside of an apartment on Brooklyn Drive just before midnight last night after a man wielding a knife allegedly charged at Murray Police Department (MPD) officers who were responding to a 911 call about an “out-of-control” male at the residence, according to press releases from MPD and the Kentucky State Police (KSP).
In the original release about the incident, MPD reported that officers responded to Brooklyn Drive at approximately 11:45 p.m. The caller advised the man was armed with a knife. When they arrived, officers learned that the subject was alone inside an apartment, but before they could make contact with him, the subject came out of the apartment and allegedly charged at the officers, armed with a knife. One officer discharged his weapon in response and struck the man.
The suspect was then taken into custody and transported to the Murray-Calloway County Hospital, where he received treatment for injuries, the release stated. Per MPD’s established policies and procedures, KSP was requested to respond to the scene to conduct an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting. MPD detectives are conducting a separate criminal investigation into the suspect’s actions. Further information will be released when it is available.
At 11:50 a.m., MPD sent out an updated press release. It stated that the agency’s detectives obtained an arrest warrant for 23-year-old Eric Saxton on charges of attempted murder of a first responder, first-degree possession of controlled substances (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Saxton was arrested by law enforcement officers in Tennessee after being released from a medical facility, according to the release, which noted that he will be lodged in a Tennessee jail, pending extradition proceedings to return him to the Commonwealth.
The officer-involved shooting remains under investigation by KSP. The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave in accordance with established MPD’s policies and procedures.
In a press release about its investigation of the officer-involved shooting sent this afternoon, KSP reported that the shooting occurred at 11:54 p.m. last night. Detectives’ preliminary investigation indicates that the male suspect made threats to MPD officers upon their arrival. An unnamed officer discharged their agency-issued firearm, striking the man, identified as Saxton. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at a local hospital before being transferred to another hospital for further treatment. No other injuries were reported.
The release also advised that KSP has statewide jurisdiction and investigates officer-involved shootings throughout the commonwealth as requested by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The agency is committed to being transparent while ensuring the integrity of the investigation; therefore, it is KSP’s standard operating procedure not to release specific details until vital witnesses have been interviewed and pertinent facts have been gathered. Any timelines for completing investigations are based on the complexity of the case.
Individuals charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
