New details show events leading up to suspect shooting, wounding Clayton police officer

CLAYTON — New details reveal more about the sequence of events that led to a suspect shooting and wounding a Clayton police officer.

Clayton police officer Cody Cecil was shot in the arm while he was working to arrest the suspect on a warrant for several charges, including domestic violence and arson.

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News Center 7′s John Bedell talked to Clayton’s police chief about how Cecil is doing.

Clayton Police Chief Matt Hamlin said he talked to Cecil Monday and said he’s doing well and in good spirits.

On Monday, neighbors gave News Center 7 pictures showing a large police and fire response to a home in Middletown.

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“A whole lot. There were probably six, seven cops. Had the road blocked there, here. The alleys were blocked,” Scott Mullins told News Center 7.

As News Center 7 previously reported, Middletown police first showed up at the home last Tuesday to check on Elijah Clements because he was “making suicidal threats.”

A police report shows the caller who was supposed to meet officers at the house was at the police department lobby in Middletown saying Clements was making death threats.

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While that was happening, neighbors called saying the home police originally showed up to was on fire.

Court documents say that woman showed Middletown police messages that Clements sent to her threatening to kill her. She told Middletown officers “she feared for her life.”

That led to Middletown police getting an arrest warrant for Clements and asking Clayton police to help them find him.

Clayton officers were on their way to Clement’s parents’ home Thursday when they saw him standing on the porch of a home across the street.

He ran inside, and when officers followed, Clements shot Cecil before turning the gun on himself.

>> RELATED: ‘Recent downward spiral;’ Family says man dead after shooting officer battled mental health issues

Clement’s parents sent News Center 7 a statement saying he battled through mental health issues over the years, but could not find a way past what they called a “recent downward spiral.”

Mullins calls the entire situation sad.

“Yeah, it is. It really is. I mean, I hate to hear it. Sorry about that cop. I hate that he had to kill himself,” Mullins said.

Chief Hamlin said Cecil is still in the hospital and is expected to hopefully be released soon. We will continue providing updates.

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