Hide Transcript Show Transcript

AFTERNOON. -- HIGHS BACK IN THE 40’S IN THE SARAH: OMAHA POLICE CHIEF TODD SCHMADERER SAYS THE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN A SHOOTOUT NEAR 24TH AND EVANS WERE JUSTIFIED IN KILLING A 57-YEAR-OLD MAN. OFFICERS JOSHUA AMES, JACOB SUNDERMAN, AND MATTHEW AJUOGA WERE ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WHILE THE SHOOTING WAS INVESTIGATED. OMAHA POLICE SAY WHEN THEY KICKED OPEN THE DOOR OF AN APARTMENT, THEY SAW TERRY HUDSON WITH HIS ARM AROUND 58-YEAR-OLD DANA WELLS, HOLDING A GUN TO HER HEAD. THAT’S WHEN OFFICERS HEARD TWO GUNSHOTS AND HUDSON CHARGED AT THEM. OFFICER SUNDERMAN SHOT HIS GUN FIVE TIMES. JOSHUA AMES SHOT HIS TWICE. FOUR BULLETS HIT HUDSON. HE WAS KILLED. POLICE SAY ONE OF THE ROUNDS THAT HIT HUDSON RICOCHETED AND HIT OFFICER AMES IN THE KNEE.

Advertisement Police Chief: Officers justified in New Year's Eve shooting Share Shares Copy Link Copy

An Omaha police officer was shot and two other people were killed near 24th and Evans streets Tuesday evening.Thursday, police identified the wounded officer as Joshua Ames, a 9-year veteran of the Omaha Police Department. Ames, as well as officers Jacob Sunderman and Matthew Ajuoga responded to a domestic incident on the fifth floor of Evans Tower just after 10 p.m. When the officers arrived at the building, a resident of Evans Tower met them and told them "he does this to his girlfriend all the time," according to police.Police arrived at an apartment and knocked on the front door, stating that they were "Omaha Police Officers." OPD said the officers could hear a female screaming inside the apartment and repeatedly saying "No, Terry."According to OPD, the officers never received a response, so they knocked and announced who they were again.The officers then kicked open the door after not receiving a response and gunfire was immediately heard as the officers entered the apartment, police said. The officers then announced on the radio that shots were fired and moved away from the door, according to authorities.Investigators say officers encountered an armed male suspect in the hallway. According to police, the man, later identified as Terry Hudson, 57, elevated the gun in his hand. OPD said two police officers then discharged their weapons at Hudson.Omaha police said that Officer Jacob Sunderman fired his weapon five times and Officer Joshua Ames fired his weapon twice.The autopsy revealed that Hudson was struck four times by gunfire and died from his injuries, OPD said.A police officer, later identified as Ames, was shot in the leg and taken to Nebraska Medicine in serious condition. He was treated at the hospital and released. Police said that it is possible one of the rounds that struck Hudson ultimately struck Officer Ames.The officers involved in the incident were wearing body cameras which recorded footage of the incident, according to OPD.Police said the footage captured Hudson yelling "kill me" as he exited the door.The footage also shows Hudson holding a handgun, according to police.OPD released the following images from the cameras: Before he heard emergency sirens blare near his 24th Street home, Zenas Aaron said he distinctly remembered the sound of gunfire drown out fireworks."You hear all the firecrackers, but then you hear the seven shots go off. It was like, 'Pow, pow, pow,'" Aaron said.Aaron said it did not take long for police backup to arrive."I promise, police was probably here in less than ten minutes. I would say there was a quick response from the force. For it to bring in New Year's (Day) like that, it's not my style," Aaron said.Minutes later, just north of the apartments, Melody Jackson was leaving a local bar when she said she saw police and paramedics pack the intersection of 24th and Pratt."Everybody's been shooting tonight, so I wasn't sure if it was fireworks or what it was," she said.As she watched police continue their investigation, Jackson said she worried for her daughter's safety and the injured officer's well-being."(My daughter) looked out and had seen all the police cars, so I just called to make sure she was OK. I hope the police officer's OK. That's what I pray for, and everybody else," Jackson said.Police report there was a woman found dead during the shooting incident. Omaha police identified the woman as Dana Wells, 58. Police said Wells died of a gunshot wound.OPD Chief Todd Schmaderer issued the following statement on Wells' death:"My deepest condolences to the family of Ms. Dana Wells. The officer's bravely attempted to save her and their actions are justified. I also want to thank the neighbors of Ms. Wells for trying to help her and calling 911 after recognizing a domestic violence emergency” Witnesses told detectives that they spotted Hudson with a gun before they called 911. According to police, one witness told detectives that Hudson retrieved a gun from the apartment after a verbal and physical altercation with Wells.Police said another witness saw Hudson place Wells in a chokehold. When the witness attempted to calm Hudson, Hudson responded by pointing the gun at the witness and then at Wells, officials said.Gray told KETV Newswatch 7 that the officer has worked in the Northeast precinct for a number of years. "I was a Northeast captain here myself for five years before getting promoted to deputy chief and he worked with me for several years," Deputy Chief Gray said.