Last week, the Beckham County Record reported upon an officer stabbing allegedly committed by a 50-year-old Elk City man. Frank Whitehead remains in custody at the Beckham County Detention Center.
Official court documents were filed in the Beckham County District Court on May 2.
Those records indicate that the Elk City Police Department dispatchers had alerted that an officer had been involved in an “incident and had been stabbed in the arm” at approximately 1 am on May 17.
Whitehead was reportedly read his Miranda Warning.
Whitehead allegedly said, “I was raised by a cop. I know exactly how this whole thing goes. I plead the Fifth, and I will not speak without an attorney present.”
After hearing Whitehead say this, the reporting ECPD officer wrote that he stopped the interview and asked Whitehead if he had any questions.
The officer reportedly observed an injury to Whitehead’s forehead.
The reporting officer informed Whitehead that he was being charged with assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill.
Whitehead allegedly replied, “Ok. Your officer was the only one there besides me. I never stabbed the guy. He went to try to wrestle me….and he probably stabbed himself because all I ever heard was — the things were in my pocket and I heard them hitting the ground. I never touched the (explicit) things. Ok? Simple….I was trying to clarify with him what was going on. ‘Cause I said, ‘Do you have a warrant for me? He said, ‘Yes.” I said, ‘Where is it? Show me a warrant.’ Simple. You can not deprive anyone of life, liberty, or property without due process. Due process is that warrant in your hand with the judge’s signature on it. It’s perfectly legit to ask for that.”
The Beckham County Record has confirmed that the original arrest warrant was valid.
Body camera footage was in use during the arrest and alleged assault of the ECPD officer.
The reporting officer reviewed the footage and stated, “This corroborates the evidence at the scene.”
The injured officer is also heard in a “calm voice.”
The video also reportedly shows a “profuse amount of blood” pouring from the injured officer’s arm.
Other officers arrived at the scene and allegedly found that Whitehead had a “boot knife strapped to one of his boots.”
EMS was called to assist. During the background investigation, Whitehead was found to be a convicted felon and has previously been convicted of other violent crimes.
