A Nebraska State Patrol trooper and Lincoln Police officer suffered injuries in an altercation with a suspect early Thursday morning.
Lincoln Police say officers were called to the Casey's General Store near 48th and Meredith just after 5:00 Thursday morning for a reported theft. Police say when officers arrived, an employee told them that a man had been in the area visiting gas stations asking for money. Investigators say the man then took a cup of coffee and left without paying for it.
LPD says officers were familiar with the man, identified as 29 year old Connor Sweeney, as they had responded to other calls in the area of a man acting suspicious in other gas stations. Each witness indicated Sweeney was driving a red Oldsmobile Intrigue and provided a license plate and similar descriptions of the man.
Police say following the Casey's report, officers responded to at least seven other gas stations where employees reported a man was causing disturbances, threatening people and acting suspicious. Investigators say just before 8:00 AM, police were call the U-stop near 70th and Pioneers Blvd. where the employee indicated that a man was walking behind the counter and threatening employees. Police say the man, later identified as Sweeney, then took cigars from behind the counter and continued to cause a disturbance that could be heard by the 911 operator.
Investigators say when an officer arrived at the U-stop, they saw the red Oldsmobile parked at the gas pumps and parked behind it to stop Sweeney from leaving.Police say the officer saw Sweeney exit the store and begin walking towards the vehicle. At that time, police say a Nebraska State Patrol trooper arrived at the scene to assist and together, they contacted Sweeney as he was attempting to get into his vehicle.
LPD says the officer and trooper attempted to take Sweeney into custody, however, he got into the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Police say that's when Sweeney began driving the vehicle back and forth, pinning the officers in the open door frame, while ramming his vehicle into the police cruiser and gas pump. Investigators say during that incident, both the officer and trooper were injured and an “officer emergency” was declared over the radio.
Police says officers responded to the call, which included the Nebraska State Patrol and Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. LPD says another trooper arrived just as Sweeney was fleeing the area. Police say that trooper initiated a pursuit as the vehicle fled westbound on Pioneers before turning northbound on 70th Street. As the vehicle reached an area with no traffic between Normal Blvd. and Van Dorn Street, the trooper performed a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the pursuit to an end.
Officers took Sweeney into custody around 8:00 AM without further incident. He has been arrested for two counts of Assault on a Police Officer and several other charges related to the Thursday morning incident. Both the officer and trooper were treated at a local area hospital for their injuries which are not considered life-threatening.