Crime
16-year-old Zay Young killed in Hub City shooting
A heavy police presence, ambulances, and reports of gunfire disrupted the Jackson community Monday evening near Faris Street.
Concerned residents began calling authorities around 8:30 p.m., reporting the sound of gunshots and a significant emergency response in the area.
When news crews arrived, the Jackson Police Department (JPD), Fire Department, and EMS were on the scene, with crime tape cordoning off a section of the road.
Officers were observed conducting a search near a home in the 200 block of Faris Street.
According to a JPD press release issued Tuesday morning, officers responded to Preston Street around 8:20 p.m. after receiving a ShotSpotter alert.
Upon investigating, they determined the gunfire originated from Faris Street, where they discovered two male juveniles suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency responders transported both victims to a local hospital before transferring them to a Memphis medical facility for further treatment.
Tragically, one of the juveniles identified as 16-year-old Zay Young succumbed to his injuries Tuesday morning, while the other remains hospitalized in stable condition.
JPD has confirmed the investigation is ongoing and is urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact their department at (731) 425-8400.
Updates will be provided as more details become available in this developing case.
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.