A routine traffic stop in southwest Missouri escalated into a massive multi-agency manhunt that left two sheriff’s deputies dead and two others injured before the suspect was captured early Tuesday, authorities said.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the suspect, identified as 45-year-old Richard Dean Bird, allegedly fatally shot Christian County Deputy Gabriel Ramirez during a traffic stop shortly before 4 pm on Monday near Highlandville.
Officials said Bird fled the scene in a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, triggering a large-scale search operation involving nearly 100 personnel from local, state and federal agencies, including the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the US Marshals Service.
Authorities issued a Blue Alert, a public emergency notification similar to an Amber Alert, warning that Bird was armed, dangerous and believed to be travelling southbound on US Route 160 toward the Missouri-Arkansas border.
Hours later, officers located Bird’s abandoned pickup truck near a roundabout outside Reeds Spring, prompting an intensive overnight search of nearby wooded terrain.
Early Tuesday morning, deputies responding to a heat signature detected in the woods encountered Bird, who allegedly opened fire again, striking three officers.
During the exchange, a second Christian County deputy was killed, and two others, one from Christian County and another from Webster County, were injured. Authorities said the injured deputies sustained non-life-threatening wounds.
Bird was eventually arrested after the confrontation, and the Blue Alert was cancelled shortly after 1 am, officials confirmed.
Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole described Deputy Ramirez as a compassionate officer who had recently joined the department after graduating from the Drury Law Enforcement Academy in July 2025.
“Deputy Ramirez was always kind to everybody and always willing to help,” Cole said, calling the incident “a tragic loss for the department and the community.”
Missouri Governor reacts
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe termed the incident a “solemn reminder of the sacrifices law enforcement officers make,” while several state and federal leaders expressed condolences and praised the coordinated response by multiple agencies. Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader called it “probably the worst day in the history of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office,” adding that law enforcement agencies across the region worked together to bring the violent episode to an end.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the second fallen deputy or the injured officers. Investigations into the shootings remain ongoing.
