Deputies in Oklahoma found themselves at the other end of one of their own assault rifles after a suspect escaped custody.
Rachel Zion Clay, 36, was detained in the back of a patrol car last Friday when she allegedly slipped out of her handcuffs and got her hands on an assault rifle, which she is suspected of firing at Grady County deputies and a civilian, according toABC 7.
ABC7
Grady County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Clay later allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine and has been charged with three counts of shooting with the intent to kill. She is being held on $1 million bond. Deputies told ABC 7 that they didn’t originally intend to arrest her, as she was only in protective custody for erratic behavior.
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“While in the back seat of a patrol car, she was able to get her wrist free from the handcuffs and the handcuffs were put on properly,” Grady County Undersheriff Gary Boggess toldFox 25, explaining how she got to the gun.
“There’s several switches, one is a gun switch to unlock the gun lock and she found it, unlocked the gun lock, and was able to retrieve an AR-15 rifle,” he added. “Then she was able to figure out how to put a round in it, put it on fire and she fired approximately 10 rounds at our deputies and a civilian.”
Three hours later, Clay stepped out of the car herself and surrendered.
Boggess said GCSO is now updating its protocols to keep deputies safe: “One, I will say, is our console where it actually said ‘gun.’ She was able to see that. That’s going to be replaced. We’re going to put a switch someplace else in the vehicle to lock our gun.
“It’s a freak deal. It’s one of these … I’m not going to say one in a million, but you know, it’s one of those deals that, you know, once it happens, then you go back and try to make sure it never happens again. That’s what we’re looking at,” Boggess added.
source: people.com
