Wounded Lincoln County officer moves up

CARRIZOZO, N.M. (KRQE-KBIM) - More than a year and a half after a fugitive gunned him down Lincoln County sheriff's Sgt. Robert Shepperd is not only is back at work, he's been promoted.

In March of 2008 Shepperd was involved in a man hunt for Kurt Sohrbeck, a fugitive from Washington with family in the Ruidoso area. On a road in Ruidoso Downs Shepperd cornered Sohrbeck who came out shooting.

"As I was backing away he just kept running at me, shooting," Shepperd said. "But nothing would work. My arms couldn't work. I couldn't move anything."

That’s one of Robert Shepperd's last memories before waking up in a hospital bed. Sohrbeck had shot Shepperd three times in the chest and shoulder and once in the head.

"He had several significant life-threatening injuries," Lincoln County Sheriff R.E. Virden said. "To overcome them the way he has and still wants to come back to work, he's a phenomenal young man."

Sohrbeck escaped into the Lincoln National Forest and 13 days later was spotted on a bicycle near Cloudcroft. He was confronted by officers who shot and killed him.

While lying in an El Paso hospital bed Shepperd said he wanted to be back in his squad car in a year. Instead of 12 months it took him 20.

Virden, however, said there was never a doubt Sheppard would be back at work. In fact when he came back to work on Nov. 2 he was promoted from sergeant to undersheriff.

"He's certainly an asset to any law enforcement agency, but having worked with him for the number of years that I have, I wasn't about to let him get away,” Virden said.

As Shepperd was finishing his rehab, Chief Deputy Patrick O’Brien retired. Shepperd was picked as his successor.

"There's been a lot of paperwork administrative stuff,” said Shepperd. “I'm enjoying it. I'm glad to be back."

Back at work but not completely back to normal. He has less than 15 percent use of his right arm.

"Learning how to write again, learning how to eat, everything left-handed,” Shepperd said. “That'll be a constant reminder to me, until the day I die."

Another constant reminder is the crime scene in Ruidoso Downs.

"I still have a hard time going past the area where it was,” Shepperd said.

Still it is a place he may need to revisit during other investigations.

For now Shepperd said he’s going to continue moving forward and hopes to continue serving the people of Lincoln County after their outpouring of support helped him get back to work.