EXCLUSIVE: An Interview With A Police Officer Saved By A Bulletproof Vest

Wednesday, October 3rd 2007, 10:23 am

By: News On 6

On Monday morning, a Broken Arrow Police officer was shot after he responded to a report of a domestic dispute in a home south of the Creek Turnpike. That police officer survived to talk about his experience in an exclusive interview with News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright.

Lori Fullbright reports when police officer Zach Schatz and two other Broken Arrow Police officers were called to a south Broken Arrow home Monday, they heard gunfire inside. Officer Schatz started to kick in the door to save the victim, when the suspect fired through a window, hitting Schatz in the chest.

Zach Schatz is 28-years-old, he is the father of three young children and has only been on the department for two and a half years. His bulletproof vest stopped the bullet to his chest. And while that experience might make some people rethink their line of work, all officer Zach Schatz can talk about is getting back on the job.

Officer Zach Schatz is thankful for a vest that saved his life and grateful for the support, but says what he did, is something all officers know they might have to do, when they take the oath to protect others, even at the cost of their own lives.

Zach had been to the home in the 1400 block of West Fredericksburg last year and arrested the same suspect, Kelly Waymire. That time, Waymire had three guns, a knife, handcuffs and more than 50 bullets. Kelly Waymire was given a six-month prison sentence in a halfway house after the victim asked the charges be dropped.

Officer Zach Schatz knew the danger was real.

"Immediately. I felt a sharp impact on my chest. I knew I'd been shot. To protect myself and my fellow officers as well as individuals in the house, I returned fire," says officer Zach Schatz.

Zach's only injury is a bruise on his chest.

Schatz knows he is lucky. He is raising three kids, two boys, 5 and 3 and a girl who is 2. Seeing his children after the shooting brought it all home.

"Very emotional, obviously. My son had heard about the events at school. He's very young and I don't feel he needs to know about these things. I assured him daddy's fine, okay and we'll get back to a normal life,â€ says Broken Arrow Police officer Zach Schatz.

The Broken Arrow Police chief says his department did everything possible to keep this domestic situation under control. They arrested Kelly Waymire last year and took reports at the victim' house 11 times in the past two years.

Officer Zach Schatz says while he has replayed the shooting in his mind, it won't interfere with him doing his job in the future.

"I can't say that for sure until I get there. I'm ready to get back to work," says officer Zach Schatz.

Experts who have looked at this shooting say the Broken Arrow SWAT team showed tremendous restraint when they entered the house. They say that is because the suspect was draped over the injured victim, shooting at police officers. Those Broken Arrow Police officers didn't fire back, for fear of hurting the victim.

Watch the video: A Police Officer Hurt On The Job Talks With Crime Reporter Lori Fullbright

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10/1/2007 - Man Arrested Following Shooting, Hostage Standoff

10/1/2007 - A Safe Place For Abused Women

10/2/2007 - Police Officer Injured In Shootout Released From Hospital