KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The suspect in a police chase and shootout in central Missouri died Thursday, but it’s unclear who fired the fatal shot.
The Callaway County sheriff’s deputies joined a police pursuit that originated in Jefferson City in progress, according to a statement from the sheriff's department.
Jefferson City police officers ere chasing the suspect vehicle east on U.S. 54 from the state capital.
A trooper with the Missouri State Highway Patrol joined the pursuit and shortly before 2:30 p.m. deployed a tire-deflation device, also known as stop sticks, along U.S. 54 at County Road 348.
The pursuit ended a short distance later just south of County Road 338 near Fulton, Missouri.
At that point, the armed suspect emerged from the vehicle and shot in the direction of Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism and Jeff City officers.
Chism and the police officers returned fire.
The suspect then fled on foot and was found dead a short distance away moments later.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control has taken over the investigation since Callaway County is directly involved.
