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Story Archives: Man wanted in WM shooting commits suicide


Man wanted in WM shooting commits suicide
posted Friday, November 19th, 2010 @ 12:27 pmE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
Authorities in Oklahoma City, Okla. found Stephen "Lane" Salsbury dead from an apparent gunshot wound to his head early Friday morning.

Salsbury was wanted by West Monroe police for fatally shooting Garland E. Henley, 58, of West Monroe Thursday afternoon.

Police say Salsbury shot Henley in the parking lot of Brookshire's Grocery on Cypress Street in West Monroe at around 2 p.m. Thursday. According to police, Salsbury shot Henley shortly after robbing a Chase Bank branch on Thomas Road in West Monroe. He forced his way into a town home near Wal Mart in West Monroe before robbing the Chase Bank branch.

While not disclosing a clear motive for Salsbury's actions, police say Salsbury went to the town home and the bank branch in search of his wife's ex-husband.

West Monroe Police Chief Christopher Elg said the investigation into Thursday's events has been concluded with Salsbury's suicide.

Elg made the announcement noon Friday during a news conference at the West Monroe Police Department.

"After a long and exhausting investigation, at approximately 11:10 a.m., the suspect who was being sought in the bank robbery and murder of a citizen of our community, killed himself with a single gunshot wound in the parking lot of the Bass Pro (Shop) in Oklahoma," Elg said.

Authorities in Oklahoma were "closing in on" Salsbury, who was sitting inside one of the vehicle's he stole Thursday.

"He was tracked there through a series of tips, and numerous agencies, since the advent of this event," Elg said.

"There was nobody else injured when the United States Marshal Service in Oklahoma City started closing in on the individual in the parking lot," Elg said. "He was still in the Nissan Xterra he had stolen."

West Monroe Police detective Sgt. Tim Zeigler said Salsbury's crime spree began when he left work and traveled to Glenwood Town Homes near the West Monroe Wal-Mart.

Zeigler said the events that transpired Thursday began with Salsbury seeking out his wife's ex-husband at both the West Monroe town home and Chase Bank.

"We believe there was some unrest in the family, and he was angry and targeted an employee who worked at the bank, which began the whole events that transpired yesterday," Zeigler said. "We believe within the last three days that there was a problem. We had not idea it would lead to this. Frankly no one could have predicted this. It wasn't until Thursday that he snapped."

According to West Monroe Police Cpl. Jade Gabb, Salsbury was armed with a long rifle and broke into an apartment at Glenwood Town Homes and confronted a resident.

"He was apparently looking for someone who did not live there," Gabb said.

Salsbury then stole a truck from the apartment complex and traveled to Chase Bank on Thomas Road.

Upon entering the bank, Salsbury brandished the rifle and robbed the bank, Gabb said.

After leaving the bank, Salsbury then traveled to the Sunshine Heights Shopping Center on Cypress Street in West Monroe.

He had a brief conversation with the victim, Henley, in the parking lot of Brookshire's Grocery, and then shot Henley at close range with the rifle. At the crime scene outside Brookshire's, the victim's clothes could be seen. His shirt was soaked in blood.

Henley was transported to Glenwood Regional Medical Center where he later died.

Police believe Salsbury wanted Henley to drive him in his automobile, according to Zeigler.

"He wanted the deceased to drive him from the parking lot, and the deceased refused, and he was shot in the back," Zeigler said.

After shooting Henley, Salsbury left the Brookshire's parking lot, driving north on Warren Drive.

While police were on the scene at Brookshire's Grocery, local authorities locked down Highland Elementary School for about an hour. Other nearby schools were put on alert, but no other school was locked down, Ouachita Parish Schools superintendent Dr. Bob Webber said.
"We put those other schools on alert and locked down Highland as a precaution since it was near the scene," Webber said. "We felt comfortable with just alerting the other schools, and the West Monroe Police Department and Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office both cooperated with us and did a great job."

"Highland principal Jan Mercer and her staff also did a great job," Webber added.

About 80 minutes after Salsbury left Brookshire's in West Monroe, an attempted car jacking occurred in ElDorado, Ark. Police later confirmed Salsbury was the suspect in the attempted carjacking.

Salsbury also was involved in an altercation where shots were exchanged with a Webster Parish Sheriff's deputy.

Salsbury stole the off-duty deputy's 2002 White Nissan Xterra. He drove that vehicle to Oklahoma City and eventually committed suicide.

Thursday's homicide marks the second in the city of West Monroe during 2010, Elg said.

"The men and women of the West Monroe Police Department worked on this throughout the night," Elg continued. "This is an investigation that has concluded without anyone else being injured. It is certainly sad when anybody loses their life, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mr. Garland Henley who was fatally shot in the parking lot of Brookshire's Grocery. It was simply a senseless random killing."

Joining the West Monroe Police Department in the investigation was the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office; Monroe Police Department; the U.S. Marshal Service's offices in Oklahoma City, Atlanta, Ga., Shreveport, ElDorado, and Monroe; the FBI office in Monroe; Louisiana State Police Troops F and G; Webster Parish Sheriff's Office; Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office; and the Jackson Parish Sheriff's Office; Springhill Police Department.

Several nurses, citizens, AMR personnel, and the West Monroe Fire Department aided Henley after he was shot, Elg said.
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