A week-long manhunt is finally over for a suspect, who shot two police officers, killed his aunt and uncle inside their Oklahoma home, and posted two Facebook Live videos while on the run, after he was killed in a police shootout on Sunday. He is also suspected of shooting a store clerk on Monday.
A cop was injured during the shootout Sunday night and was rushed to the hospital with non-threatening injuries. KOCO-TV identified the injured officer as Dewey County Sheriff Clay Sander.
“The manhunt is over,” wrote Ellis County Sheriff Shane Booth on Facebook. “Unfortunately one officer was shot and he is one of my best friends.”
Michael Vance, 38, posted footage to Facebook of an AK-47 assault rifle, the gun believed to be used in the shootings one week ago, the Oklahoma County sheriff’s office confirmed to BuzzFeed News.
Vance was most spotted Monday in Oklahoma about 30 miles from the Texas border, police said.
Police said they believe that Vance also had a disease that he may have been trying to spread while on the loose.
"We have been informed he has a communicable disease and may try to spread it to others. That’s about all we know right now," Oklahoma County Sheriff’s spokesman Mark Opgrande told BuzzFeed News.
Vance was released from Lincoln County jail after being arrested in July and accused of child sexual assault. His next court hearing in the case was scheduled for November 7.
The Oklahoma County sheriff's office provided an arrest affidavit to BuzzFeed News on Tuesday detailing the mayhem that ensued on Sunday and Monday.
At around 6:30 pm Sunday, Vance shot two Wellston, Oklahoma police officers who were responding to a call of a disturbance, authorities said. Both officers suffered non-life-threatening wounds.
Vance then allegedly fled the scene in a Wellston police department car. Another man with him, identified as Tony Heavner, was taken into custody at the scene.
***WANTED IN DOUBLE HOMICIDE*** Armed and dangerous - more information forthcoming.
While fleeing in the police car, Vance posted his first of two videos online using Facebook Live, according to authorities.
“We do believe that’s him,” Opgrande said, confirming the videos' authenticity. “When you see the videos, it’s pretty obvious.”
In the first video, Vance appears to be bleeding, telling the camera, “It hurts, it sucks.” (Authorities believe that he was shot during the gunfight with officers).
“This is more intense than what I thought it was going to be,” Vance says.
He then tells the camera that the truck he’s driving is “about dead," before adding, “I’m about to steal another car.”
“This shit is going to be intense,” he says.
In the second video, Vance is in a second car believed to be a Lincoln Towncar that he allegedly stole from a woman who was shot during the carjacking.
In the video, Vance says, “What’s up, y’all? Just letting you know this is real. This isn’t a joke, this isn’t a prank, this is live.”
He adds that he is badly hurt, then addresses someone he calls “sis.”
“Thank you for trying to help. I know we didn’t get the vest, but it’s going to be alright,” Vance says.
About an hour after the shootout with police, Vance was spotted in the Towncar in Luther, Oklahoma, police said.
Authorities responded to a residence where Vance was believed to be holed up. At the scene, police found two people dead. They were later identified as Vance's uncle and aunt, Ronald Wilkson and Valerie Kay Wilkson. Both had suffered gun shot wounds, knife wounds, and gashes to their necks that suggested Vance attempted to sever their heads, according to officers.
A Mitsubishi Eclipse belonging to Valerie Wilkson was missing from the scene.
Investigators received information that he was spotted on Monday at Sayre, Oklahoma gas station. He is believed to have shot a store clerk twice in the leg before fleeing once again. The man who was shot provided a vehicle description to police that matched the Mitsubishi Eclipse taken from the Wilkson's home.
Sunday night's shootout started after bloody rags were found at a campsite where a farmer said he saw a man loitering for a few days, KOCO-TV reported. A car that matched the description of the Mitsubishi Eclipse was also spotted at the campsite, although it was gone by the time authroties arrived.
“The suspect, Michael Vance, was most likely spotted and jumped from his hiding/camp site just north of Hammon,” Booth wrote on Facebook before it was confirmed the manhunt was over. "A perimeter was setup at all north entrances to Ellis County immediately and Dewey County also. The suspect fled in his car but is believed to have not got out of our perimeter at this time."