Video Captures Violent Ambush, Stabbing of Okla. Police Officer
An Edmond police officer was conducting a traffic stop when a man carrying a butcher knife pepper-sprayed and struggled with the officer before stabbing him.
An Edmond, OK, police officer was conducting a traffic stop May 1 when a man carrying a butcher knife pepper-sprayed and struggled with the officer before stabbing him.
What to know
Edmond Police Officer Caleb Hodam was pepper-sprayed and stabbed in an ambushed during a May 1 traffic stop.
Ocean Hudson pepper-sprayed Hodam while he was talking to the driver, kicking off a struggle that led to Hudson stabbing the officer with a butcher knife.
A bystander intervened, disarmed the suspect, and a second officer deployed a Taser to subdue Hudson, who was arrested and faces multiple charges.
Video footage released by an Oklahoma police department captured a brutal ambush by a knife-wielding man who stabbed and pepper-sprayed an officer during a traffic stop last month.
The incident happened May 1 when Edmond Police Officer Caleb Hodam had pulled over a vehicle in a parking lot, KFOR-TV reports. While Hodam was speaking to the driver, a man—later identified as Ocean Hudson—walks up behind the officer, trying to get his attention.
That's when Hudson pepper-sprayed Hodam, and the two begin to tussle. During the struggle, Hudson pulled out a butcher knife and stabbed Hodam.
In the video posted to social media, a bystander runs up to the two to help the officer. Hodam tells the officer to get the knife from Hudson and radio from help. At the same time, Hudson pleaded with the bystander to shoot him.
When Edmond police stopped a driver in a stolen van from fleeing, the woman hurled a Big Gulp cup filled with urine at an officer who smashed her window.
Once the bystander wrestled away the knife from Hudson, a second officer reached the scene. That officer deployed a Taser and finally subdued Hudson.
"What you will see is an officer violently attacked while simply doing his job," Chief J.D. Younger said in a statement. "Make no mistake: this was a targeted ambush. Officer Hodam fought for his life and won. His survival is a direct result of his training, and composure under pressure. I am incredibly proud of his actions and grateful that he is alive today. "
Police arrested Hudson, and he faces multiple charges. He was wanted in Canadian County for ignoring a court order stemming from a child pornography and lewd acts with a child under 16 case.
Hodam is recovering from his injuries.
"This incident is a sobering reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face every day," stated Younger.
Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
