Authorities say a welfare check escalated into gunfire, a deputy’s death and a long surrender outside a home near Wister.
WISTER, OK — An Oklahoma sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed and a small-town police chief was wounded Sunday after officers answering a welfare check near Wister came under fire, touching off a standoff that lasted about five hours before the suspect surrendered.
The shooting pushed a rural eastern Oklahoma community into mourning and left investigators sorting through a fast-moving scene that began as a routine call. State authorities say 36-year-old Edgar Lara opened fire as law enforcement arrived at a home near U.S. Highway 270. Deputy Thomas “Walker” LeMay was killed, and Wister Police Chief William “Andy” Thompson was taken to a hospital in stable condition. As of Wednesday, formal charges had not yet been announced, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation was leading the case.
Authorities said the confrontation began around 11 a.m. Sunday, April 19, when the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office, the Wister Police Department and other officers responded to a welfare check at a residence near Wister in LeFlore County. Investigators say officers were fired on almost as soon as they arrived. Law enforcement returned fire, and the situation quickly turned into a barricade and standoff. Over the next several hours, more agencies moved into the area while traffic was redirected and the scene was locked down. By about 4 p.m., authorities said, Lara surrendered and was taken into custody. He was treated for minor injuries before being booked into the LeFlore County jail. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said the inquiry remains active, and officials have not publicly laid out a full step-by-step account of the gunfire exchange.
By Monday, county officials had identified the deputy who was killed as LeMay, a 30-year-old deputy from Heavener. The injured officer was identified as Thompson, the Wister police chief. Public statements from state and local officials have described the attack as an ambush during a welfare check, but investigators have released few details about what led officers to the property in the first place. They also have not said what weapons were used, how many shots were fired, whether the suspect called 911 or whether officers had prior recent contact with the home. In one public message after the shooting, state investigators said there was no ongoing threat to the public. Hunter McKee of the OSBI, speaking in the early aftermath, said his thoughts and prayers were with the LeFlore County community and the town of Wister. Thompson’s condition was described as stable, but officials had not publicly released more detail about the extent of his injuries by Wednesday.
The loss hit hard in LeFlore County, where Wister and nearby Heavener are small communities and law enforcement agencies often work closely across a wide rural area. The sheriff’s office said LeMay died in the line of duty and remembered him as “a true servant of the people,” as well as a son, brother and father. The department placed a patrol vehicle on the front lawn of the courthouse so residents could leave decorations and tributes. On Monday, a procession moved through Poteau to honor LeMay, with emergency vehicles escorting him home and residents lining parts of the route. The scene reflected how quickly line-of-duty deaths ripple through towns where officers are often known personally, not only as public officials but as neighbors, relatives and parents. In statements from lawmakers and local officials, the tone was both official and deeply personal, with condolences directed to LeMay’s family, fellow deputies and the wounded police chief.
The legal case was still in an early stage Wednesday. Authorities said Lara was being held in the LeFlore County jail after surrendering Sunday afternoon. Officials have said formal charges are pending through the District 16 District Attorney’s Office, but a charging document had not yet been publicly detailed in the statements released immediately after the shooting. The OSBI is handling the investigation into the officer-involved shooting and the death of the deputy, a common step in Oklahoma when deadly force is used during a law enforcement response. Investigators typically gather forensic evidence, interview officers and witnesses, review body-camera or other video if available, and submit findings to prosecutors. In this case, officials have not said when charging papers will be filed or when a probable cause affidavit may become public. They also have not said whether any additional people were inside the home or whether earlier reports from the location may become part of the case record.
Outside the investigation, the community response kept building. Funeral and visitation plans released in LeMay’s obituary set a public viewing for Wednesday and a funeral service for 2 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at Heavener High School Gymnasium, followed by burial in Muse Cemetery. The family’s notice welcomed law enforcement agencies to attend. Online tributes and public memorial messages described LeMay as young, dedicated and closely tied to the area he served. The sheriff’s office said his sacrifice would not be forgotten, and local residents have echoed that sentiment in memorial posts and roadside support. At the same time, concern remained focused on Thompson’s recovery and on the unanswered questions surrounding the shooting. The combination of grief, ceremony and uncertainty has given the case an emotional weight beyond the crime scene itself, especially in a county where a welfare check is usually the kind of call that passes without statewide attention.
As of Wednesday, the suspect remained in custody, the investigation was continuing and no broader public threat had been reported. The next visible milestone is LeMay’s funeral on Thursday afternoon in Heavener, while prosecutors and state investigators continue working toward formal charges and a fuller public account of what happened near Wister.
Author note: Last updated April 22, 2026.