TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Police are searching for a suspect who led officers on a chase where shots were fired on Thursday.

Tulsa Police said it started with a traffic stop near West 51st and Union in west Tulsa.

“They make the stop, the person starts to become confrontational verbally. Self-proclaimed sovereign citizen type of citizen. They asked for supervisors to come out here,” said Captain Richard Muelenberg with the Tulsa Police Department.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, sovereign citizens believe they are not under the government’s jurisdiction and don’t have to follow the law.

Whenever the police supervisor arrived, instead of getting better, Muelenberg said the situation became worse.

“When he stepped out of the vehicle, he was armed but did not pull his gun at the time. He was clearly, visibly armed and when we tried to get more information and try to defect a detention on this person, he decided to take off running instead.”

Muelenberg said the suspect ran into a small fenced-in field right across from a residential area.

“The suspect makes overt actions as if he’s pulling his gun out. Officers responded to his actions, firing upon him.”

Officers said they didn’t know if the man was hit, but he was able to get back into his truck and drive west with officers chasing after him.

The Sand Springs Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office all helped in the chase.

They searched an area in Sand Springs near 209th West Avenue and West Coyote Trail for the suspect but came up empty-handed.

According to Captain Muelenberg, a passenger who was in the truck was taken into custody for questioning.

Police said they have an idea of who the suspect is, but they aren’t releasing his name at this time.

Tulsa Police said they believe there’s no danger to the West 51st and Union area where the initial stop happened, but they still encourage anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS.

You may remain anonymous.