The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office say 35 year old Chace Abney was the man who was shot and critically injured by officers Monday afternoon in west Lincoln.
Sheriff Terry Wagner says the Lincoln-Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force was conducting surveillance on a motel room at the Super 8 at S.W.27th and West ‘O’ regarding a separate investigation. He says task force members left their position and proceeded to the parking lot of N.W. 28th and West ‘O’ Street.
“An LPD investigator and a NSP investigator were in one vehicle, another NSP investigator was in another vehicle. A Chevrolet Impala with New York plates driven by Abney followed the Task Force members from the motel to the parking lot,” Wagner says.
He says the officers were wearing vests and badges that identified them as law enforcement. They got out of their vehicle to make contact with Abney and gave loud verbal commands to exit the vehicle.
“Abney, who is 6’4″ tall and weighs 240 pounds, resisted the officers, refused to comply with their commands and pulled a 9mm pistol, pointing it at the officers,” Wagner says.
He says one round was fired from that pistol. One trooper and the LPD officer returned fire. First Aid was performed by the officers and Abney was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.
Wagner says Abney is from Nevada and had been living in New York. Abney has Lincoln ties and was back in town for a family function. The pistol he had was reported stolen May 1 in Norfolk. Abney has outstanding warrants from Arizona for Disorderly Conduct with a Firearm and a drug possession warrant out of New York and California.
Based on the preliminary investigation Wagner says the officers were justified in their actions. The two officers are on administrative leave as the investigation continues.