BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
An Elmore County Sheriff’s Deputy was shot on Claud Road near Eclectic Saturday night and taken to an area hospital by Life Flight, according to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin.
Jeffrey Cofer, 59, of Claud Road is in custody facing an Attempted Murder charge, but more charges are possible.
Charges could including possible assault and firing at least eight rounds at deputies outside of his residence during the stand off. What began around 5 p.m. ended just after midnight when Cofer reportedly came out of his home voluntarily and was taken into custody without incident.
The injured deputy was wearing a bullet proof vest, but the shot entered in a shoulder area.
“This incident began Saturday evening when deputies received a call that a man was firing rounds at a number of houses on Claud Road, which is just outside of Eclectic’s jurisdiction,” Sheriff Franklin said. “We had some similar calls (Friday) night of shots fired, and we believe this is going to be the same subject.”
Saturday evening a neighbor contacted police about shots being fired into occupied houses on Claud Road.
“When we initially arrived, we believed that Cofer had barricaded himself in the house. We tried to make contact. We tried calling the house, and called in a family member as well,” Franklin said. “Through the family we learned that the subject has been dealing with some possible mental issues. We learned that family has been in touch with mental health authorities for the last several weeks trying to get help. I want to investigate as to where the ball was dropped, why it has been three weeks and now this happens.”
Franklin said that deputies tried every means possible to talk the suspect out of the house, even using a PA system so a family member and the Sheriff could talk to the suspect. But at some point, Cofer allegedly walked out of his home firing multiple rounds at deputies, which led to the deputy’s injury. Cofer then retreated back inside the home, Franklin said.
“We finally received a phone call from the suspect and eventually talked him into coming out to meet me. When he stepped out of his side door, we had someone there to greet him,” Franklin said.
Charges could include the assault on the deputy, firing multiple rounds at officers, and shooting into at least two occupied dwellings. We will update when definitive charges are released.
As for the injured deputy, Franklin said “He is a good man that has been with the department for a few years. He is also with our Tactical Team,” Franklin asked for the community to keep his deputy in their prayers.
Franklin said that in November the Eclectic Police Department responded to a different location within their jurisdiction but also involving the Coffer suspect. In that incident, a family member also met with the sheriff’s office, which assisted Eclectic. Multiple guns were taken from a home.
“We have reports that this suspect has had other issues, with trying to get into people’s homes, thinking it was his residence,” Franklin said. “This guy is in dire need of mental health services.”
Franklin said, “A lot of times these situations do not end well. In this case a law enforcement officer was shot, but he is getting medical care and the suspect is in custody.”
Once the house was cleared, Franklin said “We found another arsenal of weapons, and we have removed them from the house.”
The area around the home was blocked off to traffic during the stand off.
We will update with any new information on this story as it becomes available.
