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A Lee's Summit police officer is out of surgery and resting with friends and family after being shot four times while responding to a domestic disturbance call.
The officer was shot in his left arm, left leg, shoulder and chest, but the chest bullet was caught by his body armor.
Police were called to a domestic disturbance around 11 p.m. Sunday in the 3500 block of SW Hollywood Drive.
A woman reported Thomas Eugene Tolbert entered her apartment with keys he allegedly stole from her and began choking, hitting and throwing her around, per court documents.
The woman managed to escape with their child to call police.
When officers arrived and attempted to detain Tolbert, he fled the scene.
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The officer chased Tolbert with backup less than a minute away. During that brief window, Tolbert allegedly shot the officer four times.
Police believe he used a 10mm handgun, which a spokesperson said is a large weapon to fire at close range.
"For a lot of people, that is their entire world, so when that starts to come apart, people make really bad decisions, erratic decisions. And sometimes, where we are called to help and people realize you are about to take my husband, my wife, my girlfriend to jail, we become the enemy in that situation," said Lee's Summit Police Department Sgt. Chris Depue.
Lee's Summit has not experienced an incident like this in years, so Depue said the entire force feels deeply affected.
"But this time it feels really personal. As big of a department that we are, it's still family," he said.
LSPD sent some officers home who were shaken by the shooting, though many chose to stay and assist with the investigation.
Other agencies, including the Kansas City FBI office, have confirmed they are providing support in the case.
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"What I want that suspect to know is that the only smart choice for them is to turn themselves in to law enforcement," Depue said. "The men and women of this police department and our partner agencies will not rest until he is brought to justice."
Anyone with information about Tolbert's whereabouts is asked to call the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
Greater KC Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
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