Burleson, TX – A search is underway for an “armed and dangerous” man who police said shot a police officer multiple times Wednesday morning and then carjacked and killed a woman while making his getaway.
The incident occurred when a Burleson police officer made a traffic stop at about 4:15 a.m. on April 14 in the 1100-block of Hillside Drive, about one block from Burleson High School, KRLD reported.
The officer stopped the vehicle because a taillight was out, WFAA reported.
Burleson Police Chief Billy Cordell said at an early morning media briefing that the officer approached the passenger side of the vehicle after he made the stop.
Chief Cordell said that one of the three occupants of the stopped vehicle opened fire and shot the Burleson police officer multiple times, KRLD reported.
“He had no warning or anywhere to go. He was ambushed, no other way to say it, he was ambushed,” the police chief told reporters, according to WFAA.
Police radio traffic indicated the suspects had taken the wounded officer’s gun, KTRK reported.
“Officer-involved shooting. We have an officer that was shot. Car is occupied by three males. They were last seen heading southwest. They also took the officer’s firearm,” the dispatcher said.
The wounded officer was transported to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, KTRK reported.
Chief Cordell said the officer was “alert.”
At 4:15 a.m. Wednesday, April 14, a Burleson Police officer made a traffic stop in the 1100-block is Hillside Drive. During the traffic stop the officer was shot multiple times. The officer was transported to John Peter Smith hospital in Fort Worth. His condition is unknown.
— Burleson Police (@BurlesonPolice) April 14, 2021
Police have identified the suspected gunman as 39-year-old Jerry Don Elders, WFAA reported.
Elders, and another man and woman who were in the car with him, fled the scene in their vehicle but abandoned the car when it caught fire in that 700-block of Southeast John Jones Drive.
Burleson police said the suspects fled to a home in the 8000-block of County Road 802 and carjacked a woman, WFAA reported.
Authorities said the woman was shot during the carjacking and died of her injuries.
Elders fled in the woman’s silver Toyota Tacoma with Texas license plate DKB6819, WFAA reported.
Police have no suspects in custody but have been searching the area.
Multiple law enforcement agencies have joined in the manhunt for the Elders, who police have warned citizens not to approach because he should be considered “armed and dangerous,” according to WFAA.
Police have issued a “Blue Alert” to law enforcement.
ACTIVE BLUE ALERT for Jerry Elders from Burleson, TX, on 04/14/2021, Texas plate DKB6819 pic.twitter.com/4hvuB4xfXe
— Texas Alerts (@TX_Alerts) April 14, 2021
Authorities said Elders had an outstanding warrant in connection with possession of a controlled substance, WFAA reported.
Officials have not yet released the identity of the wounded officer or the woman who was killed.
Multiple law enforcement agencies including the U.S. Marshals, Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety are looking for Jerry Don Elders, involved in the shooting of a Burleson police officer in the early morning of April 14, 2021. pic.twitter.com/hVea5yCkSV
— Burleson Police (@BurlesonPolice) April 14, 2021
Texas Rangers have taken the lead in the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, WFAA reported.
Holly Matkin
