Cottonwood Police released further details into Wednesday night’s officer involved shooting. Wednesday morning, Cottonwood Police and the Mobile Behavioral Crisis Team had contact with 57-year old Jeffrey Thomas due to several reports of him demonstrating erratic behavior and threatening others. A mental evaluation determined Thomas should be detained for further evaluation, but he refused and held up in his house. Wednesday night witnesses reported that Thomas was charging vehicles on the roadway with what appeared to be a flagpole. When Officer Matt Strickland arrived on scene, Thomas was hiding in some bushes with a shotgun disguised as a flagpole. Thomas fired and struck Strickland in the shoulder and then ran into his house. An hour later he surrendered. Thomas was jailed on several charges including attempted 2-nd degree murder; he’s being held on $500,000-bond. Officer Strickland’s wound is non-life threatening, but the damage to his arm is serious.
