TULSA -- An elderly couple is still recovering more than a week after a 16-year-old suspect robbed and violently assaulted them in their home, and now their family members are wanting to thank police for their hard work in the investigation and for showing them kindness.
Shana Meyer said her grandparents received a visit from two officers, Officer Craig LaGrone and Sgt. Ryan Woods, days after they survived this unimaginable tragedy. The police wanted to check on the couple and bring them homemade soup and desserts made by one of their wives.
"Evil definitely touched our family," Meyer said, "but just the goodness of people has been overwhelming."
Meyer's husband, Ken, sent a message Tuesday to the Tulsa Police Department to share his family's gratitude for this simple act of kindness, and he hoped that it would lead to the officers being commended for it.
"These little things are things that I think most people don't hear about. Most of their interactions with the people, they're getting a ticket or something you hear on the news," Ken said. "I'm sure this happens a lot more than we're aware of, and that's just another reason I wanted to really thank the department for their officers going out of their way to do something like that."
The Office of the Chief of Police became aware of the acts of kindness through the Meyers' message, sources said. The department now expects to recognize the two officers during its annual awards ceremony in the spring.
"It makes you value them so much more that they're risking their lives every day for us," Shana said, "and we take that for granted."
The Meyers said they are now praying for the other families affected by this violent crime spree. The suspect, Deonte Green, held up another couple at gunpoint and also killed Shane Anderson, a Broken Arrow middle school teacher, in front of his family.
