Police released more details in the investigation of an assault on one of its own. Chief Julian Wiser says, It is the worst assault he has seen on a police officer in his 19 years on the force.
Newly released details say, Sgt. Mike Thomas was getting out of his patrol vehicle to buy a soft drink from the Exxon when he was approached by a woman asking for help. According to investigators, almost immediately, Sgt. Thomas was attacked by a man who was with the woman. He was knocked to the ground, and the suspect continued to beat and kick him.
The suspect is identified as 34-year-old Cepeda L. Coble. Police say Coble fled the scene on foot.
Officers began a search and Coble was located a short time later near the entrance to North Plaza.
According to a press release, Coble resisted officers’ attempt to arrest him. Officers say they were forced to use a Taser to incapacitate him and take him into custody. Coble gave his address as the Union Mission on Popular Avenue in Memphis.
The investigation is still ongoing, and the Jackson Police Department will be consulting with the District Attorney’s Office concerning charges.
Sgt. Thomas was taken to a local hospital where he remains in stable condition. He will require surgery for facial injuries sustained during this assault.
Jackson Police Chief Julian wiser tells us Sgt Thomas, a 26-year veteran of the Jackson Police Department, was on duty, in uniform and in a marked patrol unit. At the time he stopped, he was not aware of a disturbance until he was approached.
Investigators determined that the woman who approached Sergeant Thomas is the mother of the suspect, and they had been in a domestic altercation on the parking lot of the Exxon just before Sgt. Thomas’ arrival.
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34-year-old Cepeda L. Coble is charged with Assault of a Police Officer. He will be arraigned in City Court on Tuesday.
“This is one of the most violent assaults on a police officer that I have seen in my 19 years in law enforcement,” said Interim Police Chief Julian Wiser. “It will take several months for Sergeant Thomas to recover from this assault”.
Wiser says, “The entire department and the citizens of Jackson are praying for Sergeant Thomas.”
