Durant PD officer, 360 Broadband CEO placed on leave amid Lake Texoma fight investigation involving teens

MEAD, Okla. (KXII) - An officer with the Durant Police Department and the CEO of a Texoma internet service provider have been placed on leave after a group of teens say they were confronted and beaten by a group of men near the Sand Point area of Lake Texoma on the night of Sept. 5.

360 Broadband CEO placed on leave

360 Broadband released a statement on Tuesday regarding their CEO.

“Though he is not part of the ownership of 360 Broadband, our CEO was present during the incident,” the company shared.

“At this time, we have placed him on administrative leave and await the results of the independent law enforcement investigation.”

Dispute escalates into physical fight

Zachary Jones, 17, said he was parked in his truck listening to music with friends when a man he identified as the dock’s owner approached and asked him to turn it down.

“I told him to get his hands off my truck window... he started getting disrespectful,” Jones said.

Jones said the man left, and a group of men then arrived by boat and pushed him after a brief exchange.

Gunner Davis said the men put their hands on the truck and on Jaden McCoy, and the situation escalated. He said he briefly put Jones and McCoy in his own truck, but the group confronted them again, and the fight broke out.

McCoy, 16, said one of the men grabbed him by the head, and he struck the man in response, saying he was defending his friends.

“He grabs me by the head. And then I hit him,” McCoy said. “I’m not gonna let nothing happen. They’re all kind of small, you know, so I just did what I had to do.”

Kason Witcher said he was put in a headlock, struck in the head and punched in the stomach.

“I got punched in the stomach and started puking blood,” Witcher said.

Parent says he was attacked

Tony Davis, Gunner’s father, said he got a call about the dispute while out on his motorcycle and headed back. By the time he arrived, he said, adults were already beating on the kids.

Jones, Hunter Garrison and Gunner Davis said a group of men then grabbed Tony Davis and took him to the ground. Garrison said he and two others pulled the men off of him.

Tony Davis said he was still in his motorcycle gear when he was attacked by one of the men, who identified himself as law enforcement.

“I got attacked by four of them... had me in a headlock... and kept threatening to break my neck,” Tony Davis said.

He said the man tried to rip off his helmet, which was left covered in blood, and held him in a headlock with his head pulled backward while three others hit and kicked him.

“To be honest, I was laughing because they were so violent and trying to hurt me so bad and I had all my motorcycle gear on,” Tony Davis said. “It really did not faze me a bit, and I think that made them even worse.”

He said the man who attacked him should have been trying to de-escalate the situation, not making it worse. He said the men involved were 40 to 50 years old.

Police confirm officer’s involvement, hand off investigation

The Durant Police Department said in a statement it is aware of the incident, which occurred the night of Sept. 5 at Lake Texoma and involved juveniles and adults. The department confirmed a member of the department was involved, and that officer is on administrative leave.

“DPD command staff is aware of the circumstances and is taking this matter very seriously,” the department said. “To ensure transparency and impartiality, an outside law enforcement agency is conducting the investigation.”

The department asked the public to allow the facts to develop through the investigation and said it will take any action warranted by the findings.

The teens said they had minor injuries. Tony Davis said his family is scared of retaliation and has added cameras and lighting at their home.

“We’re just hoping for some justice,” Tony Davis said.

Update: Bryan County confirms off-duty officer, OSBI joins investigation

The Bryan County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that the officer involved was off duty at the time of the incident.

KXII 12 has learned the names witnesses gave investigators, but is withholding them pending confirmation from the outside agency conducting the investigation.

A post circulating on social media claims the alleged officer involved was starting retirement paperwork. Durant police told KXII 12 on Tuesday that they have not heard from the officer about retirement, but said that the officer was on administrative leave.

To ensure transparency, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is assisting Chickasaw Lighthorse with the investigation. Chickasaw and Choctaw Nation Lighthorse police departments and Bryan County deputies were among the agencies that responded to the scene the night of the incident.

KXII 12 reached out to the adults allegedly involved, including calling them directly on Tuesday, and is still waiting to hear back.

This is a developing story. KXII 12 will provide updates as we gather more information.