2 Missouri deputies killed, 2 seriously injured after shooting and manhunt
Two Missouri sheriff’s deputies were killed and two others were seriously injured after a suspect shot a deputy and later engaged officers in a nine-hour manhunt, according to officials.
The incident began Monday at 3:53 p.m. when Christian County 911 received a call about a deputy down near the intersection of Highway 160 and Glossop Avenue near Highlandville, a small community south of Springfield in southwest Missouri.
Sheriff Brad Cole said responding deputies arrived at 4:05 p.m. and found Deputy Gabriel Ramirez, 30, fatally shot in the roadway.
At 4:35 p.m., the Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert as authorities launched a manhunt for Richard Bird, 45, of neighboring Stone County. Cole said Bird had a criminal history and had been arrested as recently as February 16.
The suspect’s vehicle was later found near Highways 248 and 160 in the Reeds Spring area. Multiple agencies responded, and the manhunt continued for about nine hours.
At 11:30 p.m., Bird was reported in a wooded area near the 2500 block of Highway 248. Eight minutes later, officers came under gunfire, Cole said.
Deputy Joshua Wahl was shot in the leg, and Webster County Deputy Austin McCall was struck four times. Officers were initially unable to reach them due to continued gunfire.
Cole said Christian County Deputy Michael Hislope, 40, was fatally shot while attempting to rescue the wounded deputies.
Law enforcement later used an armored vehicle to approach Bird, who continued firing. Officers returned fire and killed him.
Authorities said Bird was armed with a rifle during the manhunt. Cole said officers attempted to communicate with him, but “the only response was gunfire.”
Deputies Wahl and McCall suffered life-threatening injuries, underwent surgery and are now in stable condition.
Deputy Ramirez had joined the Christian County Sheriff’s Office in March 2025. Hislope had served with the agency since October 2019. Both had also served in the U.S. Army.
Cole called it “a dark day” for the department and warned the public about scams seeking to raise money in the deputies’ names.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
