A Tulsa cop has been awarded a Medal of Valor by Atoka County for his help, while off-duty, in arresting a suspect accused of firing shots during a chase.

They say back on May 30th, on Highway 69 near Stringtown, Atoka police officers and Atoka County deputies were in a wooded area, chasing a 19-year-old shoplifting suspect who was shooting a rifle at them.

They say the suspect emerged from the woods near traffic that was stopped on the highway.

Just by coincidence, one of the motorists was off-duty TPD officer Derek Sullins, who they say held the suspect at gunpoint and then, even got him in handcuffs.

They say Sullins informed them he was an officer in Tulsa, but they say by the time they had secured the suspect, Sullins had already left the scene.

So, this week, several members of Atoka-area law enforcement made the drive up to Tulsa, to give Sullins the award.