Crime
Omaha Police Officer Shot in the Head at QuikTrip, Suspect Taken into Custody
Authorities in Omaha are investigating an early-morning shooting that left a police officer critically injured and a suspect in custody.
According to the Omaha Police Department, the incident began shortly after 6:00 a.m. when officers were dispatched to the QuikTrip gas station at 11910 West Dodge Road following a 911 call that was placed and then disconnected.
Dispatchers reported that a male individual at the location was using the store’s phone and harassing customers.
When an officer arrived on scene, an encounter occurred, during which the officer was shot in the head.
The suspect then fled the scene.
Additional units immediately responded, securing the area and calling for SWAT assistance.
The wounded officer was transported Code 3 Trauma to CHI Health Bergan Mercy Hospital, where he remains under medical care.
Following a brief search, officers located the suspect at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant, where witnesses reported hearing him yelling about the shooting.
The suspect was found near the drive-thru window and was taken into custody at gunpoint without further incident.
Medics were called to evaluate the suspect, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the hand.
Authorities also recovered the suspect’s vehicle, which contained a security placard and a bulletproof vest.
The Omaha Police Department has not yet released the names of the officer or the suspect, and the investigation remains active.
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.