OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Omaha Police Department released new details in the homicide investigation of Steven Donsbach and the two related domestic violence investigations that occurred Saturday morning.
The suspect, Matthew Briggs, was shot and killed by two police officers from the Omaha and Council Bluffs Police Departments in Council Bluffs.
Here's what we know from OPD:
5:48 a.m. - Officers were dispatched to a southwest Omaha residence for a cutting. Contact was made with the initial domestic violence victim who was assaulted by Matthew Briggs and threatened with a firearm, said police. Briggs forced entry into the residence. The victim was an ex-girlfriend.
6:23 a.m. - Officers were dispatched to a second southwest Omaha residence in an attempt to find Briggs based on investigative information. This residence belonged to a second ex-girlfriend of Briggs, said OPD. While officers were on the way to the residence, 911 received a call from a neighbor who was shot at after Briggs returned for a second time to ram the garage doors of the residence with his car. Surveillance footage shows both occurrences where Briggs damages the garages.
6:40 a.m. - OPD received information that Briggs had shot Donsbach. Authorities said officers were dispatched to 99th and Essex Drive at 6:45 a.m. and found the front door damaged by gunfire and Donsbach found dead inside by apparent gunfire. Surveillance footage showed an older red Buick in the area of Donsbach’s residence matching that of Briggs’ 2005 red Buick Century.
7:46 a.m. - Broadcast with Briggs’ description and car information was provided to dispatch to be re-broadcast every two hours until he was located, said police. The Omaha Police Homicide Unit, Fugitive Unit, Gang Unit, regional detectives, Air Support Unit, K9 Unit, and Uniform Patrol Bureau officers along with other local law enforcement agencies made multiple attempts to locate Briggs around the metropolitan area with no success.
1:00 p.m. - A citizen called 911 and reported they saw a red Buick sedan with an unknown Iowa license plate in Mandan Park where the car was found still running in a grassy ravine, said police. Under the Iowa license plates were the Nebraska license plates revealing the vehicle to belong to Briggs. A large-scale search with numerous law enforcement personnel began in the Mandan Park area.
3:32 p.m. - OPD was notified through 911 that there was a carjacking that just occurred south of Mandan Park in Sarpy County. The suspect description matched that of Briggs and the car taken was a blue Toyota Camry. Officers quickly located the car and a pursuit was declared. ABLE 1 also assisted with the pursuit. The pursuit eventually entered Iowa.
3:53 p.m. - Shooting involving an officer occurred near College Road and Valley View Drive where Briggs was shot inside the stolen Toyota Camry, according to OPD. A shotgun and handgun were found inside the stolen vehicle driven by Briggs. He was taken to Nebraska Medicine where he died.
The OPD Homicide Unit was granted a court-authorized search warrant of Briggs’ Papillion, Neb. address. According to police, a note was found inside Briggs’ residence that appeared to be a “hit list” with multiple names on it. The list included Donsbach, as well as the aforementioned ex-girlfriends.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is conducting an investigation regarding the shooting involving an officer which occurred in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The Omaha Police Department would like to thank all neighboring law enforcement agencies for their assistance and professionalism during this volatile situation.
The Pottawattamie County Attorney in conjunction with Iowa DCI will provide updates regarding the shooting involving an officer investigation after the review of the incident has been completed.
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