Officer Injured After Foot Pursuit of Burglar

TYLER — A Tyler Officer was injured while chasing a suspect. It happened Monday 2:25 a.m. Tyler Officers responded to 435 S.Bonner Apartment 8 on a residential burglary in progress. The suspect was attempting to enter the apartment through the bedroom window as the owner fled out the front door. When officers arrived on the scene the suspect fled the apartment on foot into the neighborhood with officers giving chase. The apartment owner said that she believed she knew the suspect who was attempting to retrieve some property from her.

Officer Wes Lawrence was one of the officers in foot pursuit of the suspect in a wooded area when he fell into a concrete drainage ditch after climbing over a chain-link fence. Officer Lawrence suffered head trauma after striking his head on the pavement and dislocated his shoulder. Officer Lawrence was transported to East Texas Medical Center and has been placed into ICU for observation. This case remains under investigation.