Wagoner County Deputy Shoots Suspect During Pursuit

A Wagoner County Sheriff's Deputy shot a man in the chest after a 30-minute chase that stretched across two counties. The man is hospitalized in Tulsa and a deputy speaking for the department was unsure of his condition.

It started with a theft from an E-Z Mart in Okay about 1:30 a.m.  Deputies spotted a vehicle that matched the description and started a pursuit.  The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Nathan Scott Tiger, fled south on Highway 16, eventually into the city limits of Tahlequah, according to Deputy Nicholas Mahoney with Wagoner County.

“Suspect ran over into Cherokee County. There was a small chase in Tahlequah and then the suspect came back towards the Muskogee, Cherokee County line," he said.

Mahoney said Tiger continued west on Highway 62 and turned onto a dead end road east of Fort Gibson. When he started backing up towards Deputy Johnny Phorn, he several shots, hitting the car and Tiger at least once in the chest, Mahoney said. 

"Struck the vehicle several times, struck the suspect at least once,” Mahoney said. “After he was struck the suspect still ran. It took three deputies to subdue him."

Mahoney said Tiger got out of the vehicle and fought with officers before he was taken into custody.  He was taken to the Muskogee hospital and eventually on to Tulsa.

Officers from Cherokee and Wagoner County were part of the pursuit, along with officers from the GRDA police force. None were injured, Mahoney said. 

Deputy Phorn, a two-year veteran of the Wagoner County Sheriff's Office, is on administrative leave while the OSBI investigates the shooting.

The Wagoner county district attorney asked Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to assist with the case. OSBI announced a half dozen agents are investigating and will present their findings to the DA.