Manhunt Underway After Officer Shot and Killed During Traffic Stop

A manhunt is underway after a Clinton, Missouri, police officer was shot and killed while exiting his vehicle during a Sunday night traffic stop.

The fallen officer was identified as 37-year-old Gary Michael.

According to KMBC, Michael “pulled over a suspicious vehicle near Green and 2nd at 10:45 pm.” When he approached the vehicle on foot, 39-year-old Ian McCarthy allegedly pulled a gun and opened fire. Although fatally wounded, Michael was able to return fire. Police do not know if any of Michael’s rounds struck McCarthy.

McCarthy’s car was found at Green and Water Street, which is nearby, but McCarthy was gone. A manhunt is underway, and “the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Henry County Sheriff’s Office and the Clinton Police Department have checkpoints set up across Clinton.”

The Kansas City Star reports that McCarthy was allegedly driving a Dodge Nitro. Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Sgt. Bill Lowe said McCarthy allegedly exited the Nitro and shot at Officer Michael just as Michael was exiting his police car to approach the stopped vehicle.

Police consider McCarthy armed and dangerous.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.