Sedona AZ (June 3, 2015) – Yavapai County Arizona Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy John Russell has provided the following preliminary information:
A few minutes after 4:00 in the morning of May 30, 2015, Ebin Proctor, 18, of Cottonwood, Arizona, one of six occupants in a vehicle stopped by two YCSO deputies on Vaquero Lane in Cottonwood, gave a false identity to the deputies. A few minutes into the traffic stop, Proctor suddenly ran from the scene.
Deputy Steven Gorman, 26, a two year veteran of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, initiated a foot pursuit and caught up with Proctor in the back yard of a home on nearby Yuma Circle, at which point the deputy deployed his Taser which proved ineffective.
Proctor immediately attacked Deputy Gorman; in an attempt to stop the assault, Deputy Gorman pepper sprayed Proctor also without effect. Proctor continued the assault and began struggling to gain control of Deputy Gorman’s firearm while they were on the ground. Fearing for his life, the deputy was forced to shoot Proctor, who died on scene.
Deputy Gorman was transported to a local hospital and treated for injuries sustained during the attack. He remains on administrative leave per agency policy while he recovers. The shooting investigation is being handled by the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Special Investigations Unit.
YCSO later determined Proctor was on active felony probation for a May 22, 2014, incident for which he plead guilty to resisting arrest and aggravated assault on a Chino Valley police officer. Proctor had violated his probation in the Chino Valley case, and a $25,000 felony warrant had been issued for his arrest.
The Sheriff’s Office will not comment further on this case while the investigation by DPS is under way. Chief Russell wishes to thank the community for their prayers and support regarding this unfortunate incident.
Citizens can contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office with information or questions at 928-771-3260 or the YCSO website at www.ycsoaz.gov.
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Wanted to let you know that on three corners of SR 89A at the SR 260 intersection, about a dozen to fifteen people including a few children and teens were holding up signs protesting Officer Gordon, the YCSO, and even Chip Davis for some reason! Many of the sign wavers were on cell phones and the signs were handmade, they only seemed to call out when the light was red on 89A. Almost all the sign wavers were tattooed. A few of the signs said something about no justice for Kumer?
Thought you’d like to know. We saw them about 5:30 PM. All the signs were handmade.
@ Cottonwood Travelers —
“Almost all the sign wavers were tattooed.”
And your point is?
What about what kind of shoes they were wearing?
Any hats? What kind?
How about skin color? You left that out.
Oh, and thanks for mentioning twice that “the signs were handmade.” That changes everything.
Warren — not everyone writes like you & thanks are in order. Web cam can’t see outside Sedona, still need regular eyes & ears on the ground. CottonwoodTravellers I appreciate knowing this, don’t be put off by the warrens. Some of us like knowing what’s going on outside Sedona.
@ Alan — The key word in your comment is “regular, ” as in “still need regular eyes & ears on the ground.”
Saying “Almost all the sign wavers were tattooed” is not “regular” unless you consider bigoted remarks regular.
I went past the same intersection twice yesterday when the demonstrators were out. I have good long range vision and did not see a single tattoo. Why? Because I could couldn’t care less who had them and who didn’t so was not looking for them.
What I saw was a bunch of people upset about what they perceived to be police brutality.
I appreciate eye-witness reports also but bigots have no credibility with me.
when did talking about tats become hate crimes Warren? You call somebody a bigot based on that? Pat your whiter than white self on the back & learn you don’t know squat about bigotry, bigots or what those words mean, don’t be tossing them around because you don’t have credibility. get back to smart meters least there you’re sounding smarter then here.
@ Alan — I never said it was a “hate crime,” but saying “Almost all the sign wavers were tattooed” is bigotry, plain & simple. If not then why call attention to it? Attention was called to the tats for a reason. I don’t think I am stretching to say that attention was called to the tats as a put-down based on prejudice. And BTW, the word, bigotry is not confined to race. You should look it up.
“Get back to smart meters?” Oh yessir, right away sir.
Mostly kids that seem motivated less by cause and more by spectacle –
Meaning they don’t get this doesn’t pass the litmus test of police overstepping – let’s see what investigation says – then decide
Kids listen to Chris Rock explain why Ebin Proctor caused his own death – try not to be as stupid as your friend – let his death be a lesson how you should live – and comfort his family .
This is Dec 2015 . . . . let me guess, The Sheriff, Gorman, investigated himself and found that he did no wrong by murdering that young man. There’s a virus going around that makes law enforcement kill innocent citizens anytime they feel like it!