Missouri manhunt ends in two deputies killed, two deputes injured, suspect dead

A manhunt that began with the fatal shooting of a deputy in Christian County ended Tuesday with a second deputy dead and the suspect killed in an exchange of gunfire.Sheriff Brad Cole said the suspect, Richard Bird, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers after he initially opened fire on deputies near the roundabout on Highway 160 outside Reeds Spring.

Two other deputies, one from Christian County and one from Webster County, were wounded. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Authorities identified the first deputy killed as Gabriel Ramirez, 30. The name of the second deputy who was killed has not been released. The identities of the wounded deputies also have not been made public.

The violence began about 4 Monday afternoon during a traffic stop on State Highway 160 and Route HH south of Highlandville, Cole said. Details about what led to the initial shooting were not immediately released.

Bird’s vehicle was later found abandoned, prompting a large-scale search involving about 100 officers from agencies across the Ozarks. Cole said a Missouri State Highway Patrol helicopter detected a moving heat signature in a wooded area near the roundabout early Tuesday.

As deputies approached, Bird began shooting and officers returned fire, killing him, Cole said.

Multiple agencies assisted in the search, including the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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