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Police officer killed, 2 others shot during eviction at Missouri home

The Independence Police Department has confirmed that a suspect is in custody following the shooting that also injured a second officer and court employee

GOOD AFTERNOON I’M CORPORAL JUSTIN EWING. FIRST NAME IS JUSTIN AND LAST NAME IS E W I N G. UH, CORPORAL WITH THE MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL. I WANT TO REITERATE RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT THIS IS A VERY ONGOING, ACTIVE AND PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION. UM, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION WE WANT TO SHARE THIS AFTERNOON. UH, AT 1:09 P.M., THE INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FOR OFFICER ASSISTANCE IN THE 1100 BLOCK OF NORTH L.C. SMITH ROAD. UH, THAT CALL FOR ASSISTANCE WAS FROM CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS FROM THE JACKSON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT. UH, AND THEY WERE ADVISING THAT AN OFFICER WITH THE JACKSON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT HAD BEEN SHOT SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A911 CALL FROM A NEIGHBOR IN THE AREA ADVISING THAT AN OFFICER HAD BEEN SHOT, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE OFFICERS FROM THE INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. UH, AT WHICH TIME ADDITIONAL GUNFIRE OCCURRED AND TWO POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE SHOT. UH, AT THAT TIME, MULTIPLE AGENCIES WERE RESPONDING TO ASSIST. UH, AND TACTICAL OFFICERS FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES RESPONDED. AS WELL. UH, EVENTUALLY, A SUSPECT, A MALE SUSPECT, WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AT THE SCENE. UH, THE TWO OFFICERS FROM THE INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, ALONG WITH A A THIRD CIVIL PROCESS SERVER FROM THE JACKSON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT, WHERE TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL WITH CRITICAL INJURIES. UH, THE SUSPECT WAS ALSO TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL WITH MINOR INJURIES. UM, THIS IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION AND A TACTICAL OPERATION STILL OCCURRING. UH, AND CAPTAIN MYSKINA WITH THE KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK MORE TO THAT. UM, AND OBVIOUSLY, AGAIN, IT’S A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION. THERE’S STILL A LOT OF INFORMATION TO BE GATHERED, BUT THAT’S WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE AT THIS TIME. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE LEFT IN THE HOME? GO AHEAD. I’M SORRY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE LEFT IN THAT HOME? I CAN COVER THAT HERE IN A SECOND. YEAH. WE’LL LET WE’LL LET CAPTAIN MASSENA ADDRESS THE TACTICAL OPERATION THAT’S STILL ONGOING IN JUST A MOMENT. ARE YOU SAYING ONE WAS SHOT INITIALLY? ONE PERSON WAS SHOT INITIALLY, AND THEN THERE WAS MORE GUNFIRE. CORRECT. UH, CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS FROM THE JACKSON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT AND CLARIFYING THAT IS NOT THE JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. IT IS THE 16TH JACKSON COUNTY JUDICIAL COURT, CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS WERE ON SCENE AND ONE OF THOSE CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS WAS SHOT. INITIALLY. HOW MANY CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS WERE THERE? UH, THAT INFORMATION IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME, BUT THAT’LL BE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. PROVIDING ANY NAMES ON THE SUSPECT YET? UH, NO INFORMATION ON SUSPECT INFORMATION IS BEING RELEASED AT THIS TIME. SO JUST ONE PROCESSOR WAS SHOT, CORRECT. THE INITIAL CALL FOR ASSISTANCE CAME FROM THE CIVIL PROCESS SERVER. UH, THERE WAS A CIVIL PROCESS SERVER OFFICER SHOT, WHICH TRIGGERED A 911 CALL, UH, FROM A NEIGHBOR, AS WELL AS THE OFFICER ON SCENE CALLING FOR ASSISTANCE. THERE WAS ONE OFFICER WITH THE PROCESS SERVERS. UH, AGAIN, HOW MANY HOW MANY PROCESS SERVERS WERE ON SCENE INITIALLY IS IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED AND UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. WE JUST KNOW THAT ONE CIVIL PROCESS SERVER WAS ON SCENE WAS SHOT MULTIPLE PROCESS SERVERS AT THE SCENE. YES, BUT WE DON’T KNOW HOW MANY. ONE POLICE OFFICER WITH THE SERVERS? NO. SO INITIALLY JUST CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT WERE ON SCENE AT THAT TIME THAT THAT CIVIL PROCESS SERVER WAS SHOT. THEY CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE, AT WHICH TIME INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO ASSIST. AND THAT IS WHEN ADDITIONAL GUNFIRE OCCURRED AND TWO INDEPENDENCE POLICE OFFICERS WERE SHOT ASSISTING, RESPONDING TO ASSIST. WHEN YOU SUSPECT SHOOTING FROM INSIDE OF THE HOUSE, UH, AGAIN, ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND THAT, IT’S IT’S VERY EARLY ON IN THE INVESTIGATION. UH, ALL THAT INFORMATION IS STILL BEING GATHERED. CAN YOU AGAIN CLARIFY WHO DIED? THE HAS ANYONE THE CONDITIONS OF THESE PEOPLE WHO WERE SHOT? YEAH. THE CONDITIONS OF THE CIVIL PROCESS SERVER AS WELL AS THE POLICE OFFICERS, UH, WHAT WE WHAT WE KNOW IS THEY WERE TRANSPORTED WITH CRITICAL INJURIES. THEIR CONDITION WILL BE UPDATED AT A LATER TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT SAYS THAT, UM, THERE’S REPORTS THAT ONE OF THE, UM, EMERGENCY VEHICLES THAT WAS TAKEN, THE OFFICER BROKE DOWN. IS THAT TRUE? UH, I DON’T I DON’T HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THAT. NO. OKAY. CAN WE GET THE UPDATE ON WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW? YEAH, I’LL LET CAPTAIN BOCHINA, UH, SPEAK TO THE TACTICAL OPERATION THAT’S STILL ONGOING. SURE. SO, UH, JAKE. JAKE, UH, BURKINA BECK, CHINA. CAPTAIN WITH KANSAS CITY POLICE. SO AS THE TROOPER INDICATED, UM, UH, MULTIPLE OFFICERS FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES RESPONDED TO THIS SCENE AS IT WAS, AS IT WAS ACTIVE. UM, SOME OFFICERS FROM KANSAS CITY IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED TO THAT CALL FOR ASSISTANCE. UM, AS THE SITUATION DEVELOPED, UH, OUR TACTICAL RESPONSE TEAM WAS CALLED IN AT THE REQUEST OF INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR WHAT WE CALL AN OPERATION 100, WHICH IS AN ARMED, BARRICADED SUBJECT, UM, TACTICAL OPERATION. AND WE BRING, UH, TRAINED TACTICAL OFFICERS, UH, NEGOTIATORS THAT ARE TRAINED TO TALK PEOPLE THROUGH INCIDENCES LIKE THIS, UM, IN AN EFFORT TO REALLY DE-ESCALATE THE SITUATION AND, AND SLOW THINGS DOWN, TO BRING US SAFE AND, UM, SAFE CONCLUSION TO THE SITUATION. UM, RIGHT NOW, NO ONE HAS MADE IT INSIDE THE RESIDENCE AS FAR AS THIS IS, UM, UH, HAS UNDERGONE. AND SO, UM, WHAT WE’RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS TAKING OUR TIME, UM, AND, UM, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS, OFFICERS SURROUNDED THAT RESIDENCE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE NEIGHBORS AND THE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. UM, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY INDICATION ANY ADDITIONAL INDICATIONS OF MORE PEOPLE BEING INSIDE AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, WE’RE TAKING ALL THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AND STEPS, UM, BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION THAT UNFOLDED, UH, INVOLVING THE OFFICERS PRIOR. SO RIGHT NOW THERE’S AN ONGOING TACTICAL OPERATION WITH OFFICERS FROM KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND, UH, ONCE THAT HOUSE IS, IS DEEMED CLEAR AND SAFE, THEN IT WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL, UH, FOR THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO THE INITIAL INCIDENTS. AND I CAN ALSO SAY THAT THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI POLICE REGIONAL CRIME LAB AND CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS WILL BE THAT WERE REQUESTED TO ASSIST AS WELL, UH, WITH THE WITH THE PROCESSING OF THE CRIME SCENE, UM, ONCE IT IS RENDERED SAFE, THE SUSPECT, HIS INJURIES WERE THEY, UM, INFLICTED BY HIMSELF OR WAS ANOTHER OFFICER SHOT? YEAH. I’LL I’LL ADJUST AND TALK TONIGHT. UH, AGAIN. SO IT’S STILL VERY PRELIMINARY EARLY ON IN THE IN THE MEANS OF THOSE INJURIES ARE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. WE JUST KNOW THAT THE SUSPECT DID HAVE MINOR INJURIES. AND I MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN TO ADDRESS THIS AT THE BEGINNING, BUT THE MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL’S DIVISION OF DRUG AND CRIME CONTROL WAS REQUESTED AT THE JACKSON COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE REQUEST TO COME AND INVESTIGATE THIS. AND SO WE ARE LEADING THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING. I GUESS IT’S UNCLEAR WHAT LED TO THIS. THESE PROCESS SERVERS BEING AT THIS HOME IS THAT STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION? THE, UH, CIRCUIT COURT HAS RELEASED INFORMATION THAT THEY WERE HERE SERVING AN EVICTION NOTICE, BUT THAT’S, UH, THAT’S ALL THAT WE KNOW AT THIS TIME. UM, AND SO THAT WAS THE INITIAL REASON, SUPPOSEDLY, THAT THEY WERE HERE. BUT THOSE QUESTIONS WOULD. HAVE TO BE DIRECTED TO THE CIRCUIT COURT. SERGEANT MCKENNA, HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK THIS OPERATION 100 IS GOING TO UNDERTAKE AT THIS HOME? WHEN WILL YOU GUYS KNOW? WHEN WILL YOU GUYS FEEL COMFORTABLE TO GO INSIDE THAT RESIDENCE AND MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE ELSE IS INSIDE? YEAH. SO, UM, WE NEVER PUT A TIME CONSTRAINT ON IT. IT’LL TAKE AS LONG AS IT TAKES, DEPENDING ON WHAT INFORMATION IS DEVELOPED. AS I HAD SAID, WE DON’T KNOW IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE INSIDE. SO WE WANT TO TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION. UM, OBVIOUSLY WE DON’T RUSH INTO SITUATIONS LIKE THAT. WE WANT TO DE-ESCALATE THOSE SITUATIONS. UH, WE WILL GIVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY IF ANYONE IS INSIDE FOR THEM TO COME OUTSIDE PEACEFULLY. AND OUR TACTICAL OPERATIONS OFFICERS AND OUR NEGOTIATORS, THEY ARE TRAINED IN THESE SITUATIONS AND THEY’LL WORK THROUGH EVERY POSSIBLE SCENARIO, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SITUATION PRESENTS TO THEM. UM, THEY’LL REACT ACCORDINGLY. AND TACTICAL OPERATIONS THEY TAKE, AS LONG AS THEY TAKE. UH, YOU HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOMEONE STILL IN THAT HOME. UH, AT THIS TIME, WE DON’T KNOW IF THERE’S SOMEONE IN THERE. WE ARE, UM, RESPONDING UNDER THE UNDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE COULD BE. BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD THERE’S NOT BEEN ANY ADDITIONAL SINCE THE SITUATION WAS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY ADDITIONAL INTERACTION WITH ANYBODY INSIDE THE HOME. AND IF I MAY, THIS IS YOUR NEIGHBORING FORCE. WHENEVER AN OFFICER MULTIPLE OFFICERS ARE SHOT, THAT’S DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S THIS CLOSE TO YOU. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? HOW YOUR DEPARTMENT, HOW THE INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HANDLING? BECAUSE THIS IS A SAD DAY, NO MATTER HOW HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. YEAH, THERE ARE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS. THEY WOULD COME HELP US IF WE CALLED FOR HELP AND SAME SAME WITH THEM. UM, WHEN WHEN ASSISTANCE REQUEST GOES OUT, EVERYBODY WHO’S AVAILABLE GOES TO HELP. UM, AND THEY WORK TO BRING THAT SITUATION UNDER CONTROL AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE, UM, WITH AS LITTLE INJURY AS POSSIBLE. AND SO, UM, WE, UH, WE, UM, WE COME TO THEIR ASSISTANCE, UM, AT, AT ANY TIME. ABSOLUTELY. INJURIES, GUNSHOT WOUNDS OR DID YOU SAY THE NATURE OF THOSE? YEAH, I THINK HE COVERED THAT. UM, THEY’RE STILL INVESTIGATING THAT. YEAH. SO, YEAH. UM, WAS THIS A SUSPECT INSIDE OF THE HOUSE, OR HOW WAS HE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY? YEAH, I’LL LET HIM DO THAT. UH, AGAIN, THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HOW HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. WE DON’T HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION YET. UM, WHAT WE’VE GIVEN YOU TODAY SO FAR IS IS WHAT WE HAVE, UM, AGAIN, IT’S VERY EARLY ON. THERE’S STILL A LOT OF INFORMATION, A LOT OF EVIDENCE TO BE GATHERED. AND SO WE’LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO MORE OF THAT. WE’LL PROVIDE UPDATES ON OUR X PAGE, UH, IN THE COMING HOURS AND DAYS. UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THAT WHAT WE’VE SAID IS WHAT WE KNOW. SO WE JUST ASK THAT, UH, PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS TO BE WITH THE FAMILIES OF THESE OFFICERS, UH, OR HAVING QUITE POTENTIALLY THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE. UM, AND AGAIN, WE’LL PROVIDE UPDATES AS AVAILABLE. HAVE THERE BEEN OFFICERS STAGING NEARBY WHEN THIS WHEN THIS EVICTION WAS BEING SERVED OR DID THEY ONLY THEY RESPOND ON THE CALLS? UH, OUR UNDERSTANDING AT THIS TIME IS THAT THEY RESPONDED AT THE, UH, REQUEST WHEN THAT OFFICER ASSISTANCE CALL CAME OUT. SO DO WE KNOW IF THERE HAD BEEN PAST POLICE RESPONSES TO THIS HOUSE, HAD IT BEEN A TROUBLE SPOT IN THE, UH, AGAIN, WE DON’T HAVE THAT INFORMATION AT A TIME, BUT THAT’LL BE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. IS IT COMMON PRACTICE FOR THE CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS TO GO TO THE HOUSES WITHOUT OFFICERS? UH, AS FAR AS THE POLICIES OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, UH, I CAN’T SPEAK TO THOSE. YOU’LL HAVE TO PUT THOSE REQUESTS IN FOR, UH, WHOEVER. AT THE, UH, JUDICIAL COURTS OFFICE. DO YOU KNOW WHEN THEY GOT TO THE SCENE, THESE OFFICERS, DID THEY GO STRAIGHT UP TO THIS DOOR KNOWING THAT THIS PROCESS SERVER HAD BEEN SHOT? AND THEN THAT’S WHEN RETURNED FIRE WAS ON THEM? LIKE, HOW DID THAT PLAY OUT? THEM KNOWING THAT THIS PROCESS SERVER HAD BEEN SHOT AND THEN HOW DID THEY APPROACH THIS HOME? SO THE INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE A CALL FOR HELP FROM THOSE CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS. AS FAR AS WHAT OCCURRED AT THE SCENE AND ALL OF THAT, OBVIOUSLY, THOSE ARE RAPIDLY EVOLVING SITUATIONS, SO WE DON’T HAVE ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HOW THOSE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OCCURRED YET. BUT AGAIN, ALL PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR

Police officer killed, 2 others shot during eviction at Missouri home

The Independence Police Department has confirmed that a suspect is in custody following the shooting that also injured a second officer and court employee

Police in Missouri have confirmed that one officer was killed and two others — a second officer and a civil process server — were hurt after a shooting that began during an eviction in northeast Independence. A suspect is in custody following the deadly incident and is believed to have suffered minor injuries during the fatal exchange, which happened around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.The second officer and civil process server are currently being treated for serious injuries and are in critical condition at Centerpoint Medical Center. Neither are being identified at this time.Process servers are officials responsible for delivering court documents. The 16th Judicial Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri, confirmed that it was one of their process servers who was injured during the shooting.According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the process server was at the home serving an eviction notice when someone from inside the home began shooting at them. The process server, or potentially other court employees who may have been at the scene, then called 911 for help. Two officers from the Independence Police Department were then shot while responding to assist the injured process server.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said. “Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.” “We’re just asking for all the positive thoughts and prayers,” Independence police spokesperson Kelley Rupert said shortly after the shooting was confirmed. Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”The Associated Press contributed to this story.

A suspect is in custody following the deadly incident and is believed to have suffered minor injuries during the fatal exchange, which happened around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The second officer and civil process server are currently being treated for serious injuries and are in critical condition at Centerpoint Medical Center. Neither are being identified at this time.

Process servers are officials responsible for delivering court documents. The 16th Judicial Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri, confirmed that it was one of their process servers who was injured during the shooting.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the process server was at the home serving an eviction notice when someone from inside the home began shooting at them.

The process server, or potentially other court employees who may have been at the scene, then called 911 for help. Two officers from the Independence Police Department were then shot while responding to assist the injured process server.

“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said. “Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”

“We’re just asking for all the positive thoughts and prayers,” Independence police spokesperson Kelley Rupert said shortly after the shooting was confirmed.

Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.

“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.