Police Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck Sustains Gunshot Injuries while Handling Suspect

By Anuska Dhar

After attempting to arrest a suspected shoplifter, Police Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck was caught in a struggle and subsequently shot in the face and at the top of his head. He is currently in stable condition and recovering. The Omaha Police Department released a report on March 13, detailing the incident.

According to the report, Officer Wittstruck was first dispatched to the JC Penney store at Westroads Mall on Friday, March 12, after a suspected shoplifter had been detained by store security. An employee claimed that the suspect, 21-year-old Kenya Lamont Jenkins Jr., had been seen putting a package of t-shirts in his backpack and then leaving without paying for them.

The report also says that Officer Wittstruck spoke to Jenkins and then ordered him to take off his backpack. After seeing Jenkins place his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket, Officer Wittstruck asked him to show his hands which Jenkins refused according to the Omaha Police Department. Officer Wittstruck said he was under arrest and a struggle ensued as he tried to place handcuffs on Jenkins. At this point Officer Wittstruck took out a taser and after Jenkins refused his commands, he deployed the probes, as stated in the OPD report obtained in part from bodycam footage.

The report also detailed that as the struggle continued, Jenkins pulled a gun out of his sweatshirt pocket, and fired four shots, which hit Officer Wittstruck at the top of his head and in the face. Jenkins ran out of the office and security cameras recorded him driving away. Two hours later, Jenkins’ suspected vehicle was spotted driving near Gretna exit 432 by a Nebraska State Patrol trooper, at which time the report says officers attempted to pull Jenkins over. The vehicle fled westbound on I-80, speeding until caught on Highway 6 in Waverly, where it was stuck on railroad tracks.

OPD reported that Jenkins was then taken into custody and transported to OPD headquarters, where medics tended to a leg injury he sustained. Detectives interviewed him and a firearm was found in his possession. Jenkins will be charged with use of weapon to commit a felony and attempted murder. 

According to Legislative Bill 255 introduced in early January of this year, the “In Line of Duty Compensation Act” would ensure that compensation will be paid to the family of first responders that lose their life as a result of injury or illness arising on the job. First responders include firefighters, ambulance squad members, and law enforcement officers. A first round of approval was given to the bill on March 10, and if passed, beginning in 2022 the family of a first responder killed would receive a one-time compensation of $50,000.

This investigation is still ongoing, and NOISE will provide updates as the case develops.