Police Chase Ends Near Promenade Mall; Driver, Tulsa's Most Wanted, Dead

Tulsa's third police chase in 24 hours ended on Yale Avenue near Promenade Mall when the driver of the car, a kidnapping suspect, apparently shot himself.

Police identified the man as Christopher Teter, 20, who was named Tulsa's Most Wanted Tuesday.

Police say Teter, along with others, kidnapped a man from Tulsa and left him in the woods on November 19. They say the victim was evidently tortured during the ordeal.

Teter was also wanted on drug possession and weapons charges, so when his name came up in the kidnapping investigation, police listed him as Tulsa's Most Wanted.

10/3/2013 Related Story: Most Wanted Tulsa Suspect Sought On Drug, Weapons Charges

Several tips came in, which lead to the Northern Oklahoma Violent Crimes Task Force and the Tulsa Homicide Squad locating an accomplice in a stolen car in Broken Arrow.

That man, 20-year-old Matthew Kelly, was arrested and booked into the Tulsa County jail on complaints of kidnapping, possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Investigators then received a tip that Teter was near the Woodland Hills Mall and a surveillance team spotted him in the parking lot of the Quik Trip near 71st and Mingo.

That's where the chase started.

"There was lights, there was sirens indicating for this individual to pull over--this individual decided not to," said Tulsa Police Officer Leland Ashley.

Police said Teter fired shots from his vehicle at the pursuing officers near 68th Street, then fired again at 22nd Street and Yale.

He then rammed a TPD patrol car at 38th Street, and at 41st Street, he fired his gun a third time and officers returned fire, police said.

"That was pretty crazy. I've never been around gunshots in town before," said witness Nick Howard.

Howard was at 21st and Yale when he saw Teter's car barrel around the intersection.

"He was drifting around the corner. I mean, he was in a Honda and you can't really drift in a Honda, but he was doing what he could to get away from the cops," Howard said.

Diann Tisdale was at the same location

"I'm still shaking a little bit, she said.

She said a police officer returned fire at Teter, but she couldn't tell if his car was hit.

A spokesman said they knew they needed to do something fast to stop him before a bystander was hurt.

"We have an individual that is a continuing threat. He has already showed that he doesn't mind shooting at a police officer, so if he doesn't mind shooting at a police officer he's not going to think twice about shooting at a citizen," Ashley said.

Osage SkyNews 6 captured the miles-long chase in its final moments. The car finally slowed to a stop in the median near 43rd Street and Yale near the south side of the mall.

Police said Teter shot himself in the head with his shotgun.

TPD officers quickly surrounded the vehicle with guns drawn, then moved toward the car behind bulletproof shields before determining the driver was unresponsive. According to Osage SkyNews 6 pilot Will Kavanagh, EMSA did not make any attempt to perform lifesaving measures.

The initial examination of Teter showed the only wound he suffered came from his gun, police said, but the medical examiner will determine if he was struck by police bullets.

The investigation into the kidnapping is still ongoing.

Matthew Kelly is being held on $29,000 bond.