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November 10, 2011

Gunshot ends standoff

Suspect kills self, leaves suicide note on Facebook

Jeanne Grimes, Staff Writer, jgrimes@chickashanews.com

CHICKASHA — A standoff at a rural residence near Alex ended several hours after it began Thursday when the suspect, Michael Dillon Brewer, 25, of Chickasha, killed himself with a single gunshot, Grady County Sheriff Art Kell said.

At the time of his death, there was an outstanding warrant for Brewer, who had a lengthy rap sheet in Grady County. A felony charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon was filed Thursday morning in Grady County District Court.

According to the affidavit in that case, Brewer had gone to the residence of his mother and stepfather around 4 a.m. Thursday.

When Mark Schenk, the stepfather, answered the door, Brewer came into the home carrying a .40 caliber handgun. His mother, Tammy Taylor, told authorities she heard her husband say, "Dillon, don't shoot" and walked into the room to see Brewer pointing the gun at his own head. Schenk, also armed, was pointing a gun at Brewer. According to the affidavit, Shenk had a large open wound near his eye where Brewer reportedly struck him with the gun.

Kell said Taylor called 911, telling the operator "Get help now." When deputies arrived, the couple was outside the home. Brewer was seen pointing the gun at his head as he paced the living room. Approximately nine deputies, including two on the department's special response team, were called to the home, Kell said. Negotiators on the team attempted to talk to Brewer, who became increasingly agitated. As the deputies left the house, Brewer fired one shot. It was then Kell made the decision to call in the tactical team from OHP.

The sheriff said before going to the residence, Brewer allegedly tried to strangle a girlfriend during an argument in Chickasha. He had also taken methamphetamine, Taylor told the sheriff.

Kell turned the scene over to OHP when the first trooper arrived around 7:30 or 8 a.m. By 10 a.m., two OHP negotiators tried to talk Brewer into surrendering.

"He was out of control," Kell said, adding that the OHP tried to force Brewer from the house with tear gas.

There was no response from inside when the first canisters were fired into the home.

"The next round of tear gas, he shot two rounds," Kell said.

One of the shots was aimed at members of the tactical team. Brewer also stepped outside the house briefly with the gun held to his head before turning and going back inside.

The team deployed a robot into the house and heard a third gunshot around 1:30 p.m. Troopers were able to use a camera to see into a bathroom window and found Brewer dead of a self-inflicted wound.

The sheriff said Brewer was bipolar and had mental problems, in addition to his methamphetamine use.

Authorities evacuated three nearby residences after arriving on the scene shortly after 4 a.m. Residents were allowed back in their homes after 3 p.m. In addition, portions of County Road 1390 and State Highway 19C were closed for several hours during the standoff.

Using his cell phone, Brewer posted a lengthy statement and suicide note to Facebook about 2:40 a.m. Thursday.

"I have let very few people in this world have a chance to get to know the real me," he wrote. "I do regret having living this way only because for the ones I have let know the real me; they have received many of life's blessings some while I was in their lives and others long after I was out of theirs completely. I only wish Id (sic) been able to share the real me with the whole world … I feel there is nothing left for me here on this earth I do not wish for a better life as others do with hopes of fortune and happiness. I have been looking in the mirror for sometime now and still I am not able to smile as I have before … I no longer desire to be here for any reason …"

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