The police officer whom Blake Shelton chose to honor during a tour stop in Tulsa had a surprise for everyone around him. On Friday night (Sept. 24), the singer gave Officer Aurash Zarkeshan the VIP treatment, 15 months after he was shot during a routine traffic stop.
Zarkeshan received front row tickets, and a local bank gave $5,000 to a charity of his choice. Then, as Shelton sang “Nobody But You,” the Tulsa patrolman had a surprise for his girlfriend. See for yourself before learning more about his tragic story.
“A big congratulations to Officer Aurash Zarkeshan on his engagement,” a post at the Tulsa Police Department Facebook page reads. The video had been viewed 200,000 times since Friday night, with hundreds of comments showing support.
Zarkeshan and Sargent Craig Johnson were both shot in June 2020 after a routine traffic stop. The driver refused to step out of the car and was pepper-sprayed and hit with a stun gun. Still, he produced a gun and fired multiple times, hitting both men in their heads. ABC News shared details of the shooting shortly after, reporting that Johnson — a 15-year veteran — died of his wounds.
Zarkeshan spent many months in rehab, returning to his house in October (per KOCO) and to work in November 2020 (per Tulsa World). The suspected shooter has yet to be tried in the case, but in March, an accomplice named Matthew Hall was convicted of helping David Anthony Ware get away (per Fox 23 in Tulsa).
Shelton is nearing the end of his Friends and Heroes Tour, with one weekend remaining in Michigan and Wisconsin. From there he’ll turn his attention to The Voice on NBC. The show — now in its 21 season — is currently airing pre-taped audition shows.
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Below are the The Voice coach’s 50 best songs. Lyrical integrity and production were also considered in this ranking. Really it’s hard to argue against any of the Top 5, but we understand if there’s a debate about placement. Heck, we encourage it!