Published July 02, 2009 02:49 am - It appears a man being pursued by Norman police in connection with a reported stolen vehicle killed himself Wednesday afternoon inside the Super 8 Motel, 2600 W. Main St.
Norman Police Capt. Leonard Judy said around 1:30 p.m.
Norman Super 8 suicide suspect possible connection to stolen vehicle, OKC home invasion
By Meghan McCormick
It appears a man being pursued by Norman police in connection with a reported stolen vehicle killed himself Wednesday afternoon inside the Super 8 Motel, 2600 W. Main St.
Norman Police Capt. Leonard Judy said around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, an officer spotted a reportedly stolen vehicle, a white Ford crew cab pickup in the 2600 block of West Main Street.
"The vehicle was reported stolen from a recent home invasion robbery in Oklahoma City," Judy said.
Judy said officers found the pickup in the motel's back lot. Police saw a man leave the pickup and walk into the building.
"The officers entered the hotel in an attempt to find him and determined that he had gone into a public restroom adjacent to the indoor pool," he said.
Judy said officers attempted to speak to the man. Instead, it appears the man used a gun to take his life.
"He fired one round and shot himself," Judy said.
The man was the only occupant in the pickup and the only person inside the restroom when he took his life, Judy said.
The weapon used in the shooting hasn't been identified. Judy said the suspect was in his late 20s.
"No shots are believed to have been fired by or at officers during the incident," Judy said.
Super 8 Motel front desk employee Megan Kaupke said she and another employee were unloading items from the manager's vehicle near the motel entrance when the commotion began.
"I saw a couple cops run in with big guns," she said.
Kaupke said she received a call from a woman at the Norman Police Department who instructed her to evacuate the building. About eight motel rooms were occupied with guests Wednesday afternoon.
"We were running out as cops were running in," she said.
Another front desk employee who only wanted to be identified as Chris said he didn't want to evacuate.