A Yavapai County judge sentenced a Cottonwood man to 20 years in prison Thursday for shooting a police officer in 2020.
A jury found 59-year-old Jeffrey John Thomas guilty of multiple charges last year, including Attempted First-Degree Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer.
Officials say police responded to a report that Thomas was waving a “flagpole” and throwing rocks at cars. Officers tried to de-escalate the situation, but Thomas shot one of the officers with a shotgun he disguised as a flagpole with a flag.
The officer was seriously wounded but survived.
Thomas was later taken into custody once SWAT arrived.
