MACON— A Crisp County Sheriff’s Deputy who was shot in the face over the weekend has pulled through and is on his way to recovery.

Deputy Steven Rankin, 25, was shot at point-blank range shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday by a man he had pulled over for speeding.

After shooting the deputy, the in-car sheriff’s video showed that 32-year-old Ben Davis Westbrook III jumped out of his car and attempted to shoot Rankin again, but his gun malfunctioned. So Westbrook used his weapon to beat the deputy in the head. He also kicked Rankin in the head before attempting to take the deputy’s gun from its holster.

“The way those holsters are made now...you’ve got to know how to get it open,” said Crisp County Sheriff Donnie Haralson. “And, Deputy Rankin did everything he could to keep that man from getting his weapon.”

After realizing he couldn’t get the deputy’s pistol, Westbrook again struck Rankin in the head with the jammed gun; however, Rankin was able to get himself up off the ground and run back to his patrol unit.

As the suspect jumped back in his car to flee, Rankin was able to return fire, using all 16 rounds in his gun, and striking the car several times.

Later that morning, around 9 a.m., Westbrook contacted Deputy Cozie Ray and wanted to turn himself in to Ray and Cordele Police Officer Cecil Rogers. Haralson instructed Ray to set it up and Westbrook was taken into custody without incident.

After being questioned, the suspect confessed to shooting the deputy. Westbrook of 511 S. 15th St. is charged with aggravated assault, aggravated battery, criminal attempt to commit murder, obstruction of an officer, removal of a firearm of a law officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

After first being taken to Crisp Regional Hospital, Rankin was transported to the Medical Center of Central Georgia where doctors are still trying to decide whether to do surgery to remove the bullet, which is lodged next to the C-1 vertebrae.

Haralson said as of Monday morning the news on Rankin was encouraging.

“They took him off the respirator and they had him sitting up a little bit this morning,” Haralson said Monday. “He’s talking to his family and he’s supposed to be moved into a regular room today or tomorrow.”

Rankin is also expected to have reconstructive surgery on his face in the next few weeks.

It’s been two days now since the shooting and the reality of Saturday’s happenings have had time to settle in.

Those involved, Rankin’s fellow deputies and co-workers at the sheriff’s office, deputies from Turner, Worth and Dooly counties, Cordele and Warwick Police, as well as Georgia State Patrol, the District Attorney’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, all had a chance to talk to grief counselors Monday.

Haralson said the Georgia Sheriff’s Association sent Dr. Barry Keaton of West Georgia Counseling Services to Crisp County to meet with the ones who needed to talk.

“He’s going to be all right...he’s doing well,” he said. “We all feel really blessed.”

SNIP
After being questioned, the suspect confessed to shooting the deputy. Westbrook of 511 S. 15th St. is charged with aggravated assault, aggravated battery, criminal attempt to commit murder, obstruction of an officer, removal of a firearm of a law officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
SNIP

Isolated Incident?