N.P.P.D. North Platte Shooting Update 12-12-2023

December 12, 2023

At approximately 8:03 PM, on December 11th, 2023, the North Platte 911 Center received two reports of a shooting at a residence located in the 300 block of S. Silber. The suspect was reportedly outside of the house with a handgun and left in a vehicle, with another person, prior to police arrival. North Platte police officers and North Platte rescue were dispatched to the residence and a description of the suspect’s vehicle was broadcast to all Lincoln County law enforcement agencies. Shortly after the broadcast, a Lincoln County deputy sheriff located the suspect’s vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. The suspect fled and eventually came to a stop in the 300 block of W. B St. The suspect exited his vehicle with a handgun, reportedly fired the gun at the deputy, and the deputy returned fire. After an exchange of gun fire, the suspect fled westbound on B St. in his vehicle. The deputy resumed his pursuit of the suspect until he came to a stop at a residence located in the 1100 block of W. B St. It was later determined that the residence on W. B St. was the suspect’s home.

The pursuing deputy received assistance from members of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and the North Platte Police Department. The suspect shot several times at the law enforcement officers before fleeing in another vehicle. The officers experienced visibility issues with the suspect and there were no gunshots fired by law enforcement officers on W. B St.

Officers pursued the suspect as he fled from the 1100 block of W. B St. in a different vehicle. Officers temporarily lost sight of the fleeing suspect, but a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol located the suspect vehicle in the 200 block of W. Leota. The trooper made a U-turn and followed the vehicle as the suspect came to a stop at the traffic light at Leota and Jeffers. At that location, the suspect reportedly shot at the trooper who returned gunfire. The suspect fled and was pursued north on HW83 leaving North Platte. Additional gunshots were fired during the pursuit.

The suspect came to a stop after leaving the roadway near mile marker 94.5 on HW83. Due to safety concerns, a drone pilot from the North Platte Police Department was sent to the scene. Using the drone, the officers determined that there was one person in the vehicle who appeared injured and a firearm was not visible. Officers made a tactical approach, removed the suspect from the vehicle and transported him to an awaiting ambulance. A .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol was found in the suspect’s vehicle.

The suspect was identified as 38-year-old Brandon R Girkin Sr. He was transported to Great Plains Health, with at least two gunshot wounds, and later transferred to a Lincoln area hospital for a higher level of care. Girkin was last known to be in critical but stable condition.

The victim in the initial shooting in the 300 block of S. Silber was a 12-year-old boy. He was taken to Great Plains Health where he was treated and released.

When the suspect stopped in the 300 block of W. B St. and exchanged gunfire with the deputy sheriff, the suspect’s 14-year-old son was in the vehicle with him. His son was not injured.

No law enforcement officers were injured.

The North Platte Police Department is the lead investigating agency and has received full cooperation and assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation involved a moving crime scene and will take a considerable amount of time to complete. Once the investigation has been completed, the case will be referred to the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Steve Reeves
Chief of Police

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