Fearing he would get run over, Eastern Kentucky cop shoots suspect, state police say
A Kentucky man was shot by a police officer during a chase early Thursday morning, according to Kentucky State Police.
State police said that 28-year-old James Ratliff was hospitalized with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound after a cop — fearing Ratliff would hit them with his car — shot him. Ratliff, 28, was being sought by police over an alleged violation of an emergency protective order, Trooper Matthew Gayheart said.
Ratliff didn’t stop when he was located by state troopers from the Harlan post, state police said. The pursuit continued into Letcher County, where state troopers from the Hazard post picked it up. Ratliff continued to flee in a Chevrolet Tahoe, eventually reaching Whitesburg, state police said.
Whitesburg police officers were on standby to assist with the pursuit. Ratliff drove toward the Whitesburg officers and hit one of their vehicles, state police said. Officers fired at Ratliff and shot him, state police said, but the suspect continued on.
Ratliff eventually lost control of the vehicle and ran into an embankment, state police said. He was taken to Pikeville Medical Center for treatment, and has been charged with wanton endangerment of a police officer, state police said.
Kentucky State Police’s Critical Incident Response Team was investigating the officer-involved shooting, which it routinely does.. State police detectives from Post 13 were also investigating.