MANNFORD -- A 45-year-old Mannford area man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head in front of horrified Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers Wednesday morning.
Creek County Deputy Lt. John Cooper said David S. Klingaman shot himself as OHP trooper Bill McClendon desperately attempted to talk the man into laying down a .22 rifle.
Cooper said deputies Cpl. Shane Pittser and Shelby Hawkins had gone to the residence at 41782 West 65th St. after bail bonds agent David Self reported that Klingaman was a fugitive.
Pittser said he and Hawkins both knocked on the front door and made several attempts to get someone inside the house to come to the door or at least talk to officers.
He said that Self had positioned himself at the rear door of the residence and observed Klingaman was inside and armed with what appeared to be a shotgun.
Cooper contacted the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and other police departments for assistance.
Cooper said McClendon, who is a trained hostage negotiator, came to the scene and made several attempts to contact Klingaman inside the home.
The deputy said Charlotte Howe, 52, came outside and told officers there was no one else in the house.
"Several of us including McClendon and other troopers made entry and we found Klingaman in a rear bedroom," Cooper said.
He said McClendon looked into the room and said the victim had a long gun pointed at his own head.
Cooper said McClendon was looking at the man and was asking him to talk and to lay the gun down.
"He just pulled the trigger," Cooper said.
The bondsman and deputies had gone to the residence to take Klingaman into custody on warrants issued because the suspect had failed to make a court appearance on charges of child abuse and neglect.
Cooper said Howe was arrested on charges of obstructing police officers in the performance of their duties.
Bob Sherrill can be reached at 224-5185 Ext. 201 or at
[email protected]
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