Updated at 7:50 p.m., September 23 — An Owensboro man is in critical condition after being shot Friday morning by a Daviess County Sheriff’s deputy, according to Kentucky State Police. The deputy was not injured, and the incident occurred following reported home invasions in the vicinity of where the shooting incident occurred, according to Daviess County Sheriff Barry Smith.
Preliminary investigation from KSP revealed that DCSO deputies responded to the 9000 block of U.S. 60 West regarding a man with a hammer breaking into homes. (It is standard policy for KSP to investigate when a DCSO deputy is involved in a shooting.)
According to a KSP release, DCSO deputy Alex Coomes was in the area when he observed a frantic woman and a juvenile running from a house. The woman told Coomes they escaped after being assaulted by a man with a hammer inside their home. Coomes went inside where he confronted Gregory Embry, 39, who was armed with a hammer.
Per the KSP release, Embry attempted to attack Coomes with the hammer when the deputy discharged his service weapon, striking Embry.
Embry was taken to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and is listed in critical condition. Coomes was not injured.
Criminal charges are pending and the investigation is ongoing by KSP.
DCSO is investigating the incidents that occurred at two residences prior to the shooting.
Smith said DCSO received calls around 10:30 a.m. from two residences along U.S. 60 West about a perpetrator — who has since been identified as Embry —breaking into their homes, with one report saying a woman inside the residence was assaulted. According to a release from DCSO, dispatch received several calls reporting a subject was “running down the middle of the roadway, screaming, and had a hammer breaking several windows.”
Smith said it was more of a home invasion than burglary because Embry did damage inside the residences. According to Smith, Embry damaged property inside his own residence before breaking into another home by busting and climbing through a window. Smith said Embry caused an altercation there, causing damage and assaulting a female.
Smith said Embry then broke into another house in the 9300 block of U.S. 60. That residence is where Embry was found by DCSO and is where the officer-involved shooting occurred.
This story will be updated as information becomes available.
