Crime
17-year-old Davion Pryor charged with murder after shot his mother in the head four times at point-blank range
The shooting occurred at her home on Cornell Avenue.
A 17-year-old Chicago teen was taken into custody after allegedly murdering his mother in the South Shore neighborhood. Davion Pryor was arrested in the 7000 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue and charged with first-degree murder.
According to prosecutors, Pryor shot his mother, 43-year-old Tatanisha Jackson, in front of family members. The shooting occurred at her home on Cornell Avenue.
Prosecutors said that Pryor had called Jackson shortly before the incident to inform her of someone drinking on their back porch.
When she arrived home and unlocked the door, Pryor allegedly opened it from the inside and shot her four times at point-blank range. Jackson’s husband and 7-year-old son were present at the time.
Following the shooting, Pryor fled the scene but later turned himself in to police. He has a history of juvenile offenses, including aggravated battery and vehicular hijacking. At the time of the shooting, Pryor was under home confinement awaiting a court appearance on October 3rd.
In court, Pryor’s grandmother revealed that he had been diagnosed with mental health problems in the past and had recently stopped taking his medication. The judge ordered a mental health evaluation to be conducted.
Tatanisha Jackson leaves behind three sons and an older stepdaughter. Pryor will remain in custody, with a court hearing scheduled for next Friday.
Crime
2 Christian County deputies killed in the line of duty, suspect Richard Bird also dead
The name of the second deputy has not yet been publicly released pending family notification.
Christian County, Mo. — A massive multi-agency manhunt in Christian County has ended with the suspect dead, but not before claiming the lives of two sheriff’s deputies and injuring two others.
According to Brad Cole, the suspect, Richard Bird, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers early Tuesday morning near the roundabout on State Highway 160 close to Reeds Spring.
Authorities confirmed that two deputies with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office were killed in the line of duty during the operation.
One of the fallen deputies has been identified as 30-year-old Deputy Gabriel Ramirez.
The name of the second deputy has not yet been publicly released pending family notification.
In addition to the two fatalities, one Christian County deputy and one deputy from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office were wounded during the exchange of gunfire.
Sheriff Cole stated that their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The violence began around 4:00 p.m. Monday when a Christian County deputy conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of State Highway 160 and Route HH, south of Highlandville.
During that stop, Deputy Ramirez was fatally shot, prompting a Blue Alert and a large-scale manhunt for Bird.
After Bird’s vehicle was located abandoned, officers from across the Ozarks converged on the area. Sheriff Cole said approximately 100 officers, deputies, and state troopers participated in the search effort, along with federal partners including the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and the ATF.
The search continued for hours into the early morning. A helicopter operated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol detected a moving heat signature in a wooded area near Reeds Spring. As deputies approached the location, Bird reportedly opened fire. Law enforcement officers returned fire, fatally striking the suspect and ending the threat.
While the suspect was neutralized, the outcome has left the community in mourning. Two deputies lost their lives in the line of duty, and two others were injured.
Sheriff Cole described the loss as devastating for the department and the broader community. Families of the fallen deputies are now grieving, and colleagues across multiple agencies are reflecting on the risks law enforcement officers face daily.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing as authorities continue to process the scene and review the circumstances surrounding the shootings.