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Two Officers, Suspect Dead in Shooting Incidents

Richard Bird was killed in a shootout after he shot and killed a Christian County Sheriff's deputy Monday afternoon then another officer in a shootout early Tuesday morning. (Photo from Stone County Sheriff's Office)

Events that started with the shooting death of a Christian County Deputy Monday afternoon ends with a shootout leaving another law enforcement officer dead along with the suspect.

After the first incident at the intersection of Highway 160/13 and HH near Highlandville when an attempted traffic stop led to the death of Christian County Deputy Gabriel Ramirez, a manhunt began that led into Stone County near the roundabout at Reeds Spring Jct., when the suspect, Richard Bird, abandon his pick-up truck and fled into the woods. 

Multiple reports by law enforcement and area media indicate that local, state, and federal officers combed the area both by land and air until early this morning, when a helicopter spotted a moving heat signature in the woods and as officers converged to that area, Bird started shooting and killed another Christian County Deputy and injured two other officers before being gunned down and killed. 

The name of the other officers involved have yet to be released though Christian County Sherriff Brad Cole stated one of the officers injured was a Christian County Deputy and the other was from Webster County. 

Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader posted a video discussing the incident and thank people for their help and prayers. The video can be found on the Stone County Sheriff's Department Facebook Page.

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