L O "Jack" Dunaway, Merchant Policeman

Miami Police Department

Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, June 12, 1934, Miami officers Dunaway, I. W. Ellis and S. J. Johnson responded to a report of three suspicious men hanging around the Northeast Oklahoma Freight Depot on Main Street near the railroad tracks. The officers found the men setting in a Model A Ford. As the officers approached the car a gun battle broke out. Officer Dunaway, 33, was shot with a .41 caliber bullet in the left leg, severing a main artery. One of the suspects, Frank Shinn, 21, escaped for a short time while another, Leroy Dennison, 19, was killed at the scene and another wounded. The wounded suspect, Jess Howard, 25, an escaped murderer from Missouri and officer Dunaway both died a few minutes after arriving at the hospital. Officer Dunaway was survived by his wife and two sons.


 

Brian Jeffrey Tunnell, Patrolman

Miami Police Department

On Sunday, June 5, 1988, about 7 P.M., Lt. Gary Anderson was searching for Russell Wayne Haines to arrest him on a warrant out of Texas.  The warrant was for violation of his probation on a charge of assault on a police officer in Daisetta, Texas.  Haines girlfriend, who he had beaten the previous day, told the police he was wanted.  Lt. Anderson was able to locate Haines at the Elms Motel on North Main Street.  Anderson and the motel owner, Oba Edwards, went to Haines’ room and confronted him.  Anderson ordered Haines to place his hands behind his back.  At first Haines started to do as Anderson ordered, but then hesitated, saying, “No, I ain’t going to. You’re going to have to shoot me.”  Haines struck Anderson with a double-burner iron gate from a cookstove and a struggle ensued which quickly moved into the parking lot. Edwards then called police for assistance.  Officer Brian Tunnell arrived at the scene and struck Haines with a flashlight. Haines grabbed Anderson’s revolver which had come out of his holster in the fight and shot Tunnell point-blank.  Edwards, fearing Haines would shoot Anderson, began firing at Haines with his own .32-caliber revolver. Haines returned fire twice then began running.  Anderson retrieved Tunnell’s service revolver and caught up with Haines, who had tripped and fallen in the motel courtyard.  Haines had dropped the gun and was attempting to grab it when Anderson shot him to death.  Officer Brian Jeffrey Tunnell, 37, died at the hospital three hours later. He was survived by his wife Brooke.