Deputy Gabriel Ramirez Obituary, Death; – A man accused of fatally shooting a Christian County deputy during a traffic stop on Monday was later involved in a second exchange of gunfire that left another deputy fatally injured and two others hurt, according to law enforcement officials.
Authorities identified the suspect as 45-year-old Richard Dean Bird. He allegedly shot Deputy Gabriel Ramirez during a traffic stop Monday afternoon near Highlandville, Missouri, before fleeing the scene in a white Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup.
As officers searched for Bird and his vehicle, the Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert shortly before 4 p.m., stating he was last seen traveling south on U.S. 160 from Missouri Route HH in Christian County.
The Stone County Sheriff’s Office shared a message on Facebook saying it was assisting in the search and urged anyone who spotted Bird or his truck to call 911 immediately.
“He is to be considered armed and dangerous,” the sheriff’s office warned. “Do not approach.”
Officers later located the truck near a roundabout on U.S. 160 close to Reeds Spring, Missouri, about 210 miles south of Kansas City in southwest Missouri. Law enforcement agencies from across the Ozarks searched a nearby wooded area.
Hours later, gunfire broke out as deputies approached, resulting in another deputy being fatally injured and two others sustaining injuries. The injured deputies have not been identified.
The Stone County Sheriff’s Office later posted that Bird was no longer a threat to the community. The Missouri State Highway Patrol canceled the Blue Alert around 1 a.m., stating the suspect had been taken into custody.
In a video message posted shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday, Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader asked the public to keep the deputies involved, the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and the surrounding community in their thoughts and prayers.
“This is probably the worst day in the history of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office,” Rader said. “It was a terrible day, but law enforcement agencies from multiple counties, as well as state and federal partners, worked together to bring the situation to an end.”
