Manhunt starts with misunderstanding
What began as a police manhunt Sunday afternoon turned out to be a major misunderstanding.
Shortly after noon, a crew of windmill workers were parked outside a residence on Eaheart Street rented by one of their coworkers. The group, who do not speak English but are in the U.S. legally, were sitting in their vehicle while one member stood outside. When it was determined they could not stay at the residence, the driver reportedly called out to his coworker standing outside the vehicle, asking to use his phone to book a room at a local motel.
At that same time, a 15-year-old girl drove by in a golf cart and believed the man was shouting at her. The men later claimed they did not even see the girl to begin with.
The workers left the area and went to Prairie Star for lunch. The girl did not follow them but later passed by again and saw their vehicle outside the store, notifying her family.
The family called dispatch to report that the men were at Prairie Star and they were advised not to engage, as law enforcement was already responding. The father, however, either was not advised by his family or chose to confront the men anyway. The father arrived and confronted the group as they exited the building. According to witnesses, he grabbed one of the men by the neck and threw him to the ground. The men, allegedly confused and frightened, ran away. The men claimed they ran as far as they did because they feared for their lives.
Deputies said the men’s attempt to flee contributed to the intensity of the law enforcement response. What might have otherwise been a brief encounter quickly escalated into a full-scale search. One of the men carried a plastic gun, which he used to scare the father away before running.
Several 911 calls were made, with reports of a possible firearm involved. Deputies with the Shackelford County Sheriff’s Office responded and located the three men separately — one near Griffin Road, one behind The Albany Group building, and one at the Albany Motor Inn. Because reports mentioned a weapon, officers approached with caution and detained the men at gunpoint.
After several hours of investigation, deputies determined the entire incident stemmed from a misunderstanding. Using an interpreter and reviewing dashcam footage from the workers’ vehicle, officers confirmed the driver had not seen the girl on the golf cart and that the comments were directed at his coworker.
It had been rumored that the men followed her to the ag barn, but dashcam footage disproved that claim. The Shackelford County Sheriff’s Office adamantly confirmed that the men did nothing wrong, based on the video evidence that captured the entire sequence.
The workers declined to press charges against the father. One of the men even expressed a desire to meet him again to apologize for the confusion, but deputies told him it was not necessary.
Sheriff’s officials confirmed the situation was resolved peacefully and no charges were filed. In a statement, the Shackelford County Sheriff’s Office said:
“This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of following law enforcement instructions. Had the guidance provided by dispatch been followed, the situation could have been resolved without escalation, and no injuries or drawn weapons would have been necessary.”
Editor’s Notes: The Albany News is not publishing the girl’s name because she is a minor. Because identifying the father would in turn identify the child, his name is also being withheld.
Information in this story is based on the official report and statements from the Shackelford County Sheriff’s Office. The incident, which took place Sunday afternoon, quickly became the subject of widespread — and often inaccurate — rumors that spread through town before law enforcement could release verified information.
