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A manhunt is underway in Missouri after a deputy was shot and killed Monday afternoon.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the alert was issued out of Highlandville following the fatal shooting of a Christian County deputy just before 4 p.m.
The suspect vehicle has been identified as a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck with Missouri license plate 9MGX36.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert for a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck, Missouri license plate 9MGX36, after a Christian County deputy was fatally shot near Highlandville. (Missouri State Highway Patrol Facebook)
Authorities said the truck was seen in the area of the shooting and was last reported traveling southbound on U.S. Route 160 from Route HH in Christian County. U.S. 160 runs south through southern Missouri and crosses into north-central Arkansas east of Harrison.
The vehicle is described as having a silver brush guard, a rusted roof, black body trim, tinted rear windows and a three-ball hitch. No suspect description has been released.
Officials are urging anyone who sees the vehicle not to approach it and to call 911 immediately.
“A deputy in my home county was shot and killed today. Erin and I are praying for his family. May justice be swift,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said in a statement to Digital.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., called the shooting “a devastating loss in Christian County.”
“As local law enforcement works to bring the suspect to justice, my prayers are with the deputy’s loved ones and those who served shoulder to shoulder with him to keep Missouri safe,” Schmitt wrote in post on X.
Missouri State Rep. Jamie Ray Gragg also shared a message on Facebook following the shooting.
OFFICER CLINGS TO LIFE AFTER HOMICIDE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY UNLOADS GUN ON POLICE DURING HIGH-RISK ARREST
A patch for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, worn by an officer (Jordyn Noennig / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images)
“My heart is broken for our deputy’s family. While they understood that this profession carries risk, senseless acts like this are beyond comprehension,” Gragg wrote.
He asked the community to join him in praying for the deputy’s family and friends, as well as for law enforcement officers “working tirelessly to find this individual while grieving at the same time,” adding that he hopes the situation ends peacefully “with no further bloodshed.”
Blue Alerts are similar to Amber Alerts in that they are designed to quickly notify the public. However, a Blue Alert is issued when a suspect is believed to have seriously injured or killed a law enforcement officer and may pose an ongoing threat.
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Digital reached out to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to [email protected].
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