OKMULGEE, Okla. — Okmulgee authorities are still searching for a man they say shot a police officer in a home backyard early Thursday morning.
Authorities say 33-year-old Christopher Harris is the suspect they're looking for. Officer Dustin Clark was hit and released from the hospital hours later.
2 News spoke with a man who claims he's the suspect's father on Friday.
He walked out of the duplex near Second and Central. It's where he says he lives with his wife, and his son was trying to get in on Thursday.
The man tells 2 News he hasn't talked to Harris since the shooting, but his wife has. He said she's choosing to stay in Tulsa.
Court records state Harris climbed a fence to the backyard and started firing a weapon. Okmulgee Police Officer Dustin Clark followed, alleging Harris fired at him once in the groin, so he fired back.
Unsure of the weapon, investigators say Harris ran west, and they found an AR-style rifle on the ground.
The man says his son was in town and didn't know "what sent him over the edge" but hopes he's found quickly for the community's safety.
2 News called OSBI, and officials said searches would continue, but they wouldn't get into specifics.
"They'll continue on with the searches as long as they determine that it's necessary, and as far as how they go about that, we really don't talk about that," said Gerald Davidson, Interim Pubic Information Officer for OSBI.
OSBI officials say they rely on the public's eyes too. If they see anything suspicious, they urge residents to call local authorities immediately.
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