March 7 (UPI) — One police officer was killed and two others were injured late Tuesday during a shooting at a Missouri home, authorities said.
Investigators said officer Christopher Ryan Morton died after responding to a 911 call in the town of Clinton, after hearing two women screaming in the background.
The gunman fired at officers from inside the house. It wasn’t initially clear what circumstances led to the shooting.
The Clinton Police Department, SWAT teams and the Henry County Sheriff’s Department subsequently engaged in a standoff with the suspect. After midnight, officers raided the home and found the suspect dead.
Officials said they aren’t sure whether the gunman died from police gunfire or a self-inflicted wound.
“The Clinton Police Department is a well-respected police department,” Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said at a news conference. “They will forge on, but they will need help along the way. We are all saddened by this tragic event. It’s one of those things that we realize can happen, but when it does happen, it definitely hits home.”
The two injured officers were hospitalized and are expected to recover.