Man who fatally shot Missouri deputy kills second deputy in shootout
Editor’s observe: The Christian County Sheriff’s Office You have recognized the fallen deputies as Deputy Gabriel Ramirez and Deputy Michael Hislope. Deputy Ramirez, 30, joined the Christian County Sheriff’s Office in March 2025. Deputy Hislope, 40, began serving the group in 2019.
By Laura Bauer
The Kansas City Star
HIGHLANDVILLE, Mo. — The man authorities say fatally shot a deputy in southwest Missouri and was killed in a shootout with legislation enforcement has a prison historical past in the Kansas City space.
Richard Dean Bird, 45, was shot and killed early Tuesday after a prolonged manhunt, based on media reviews from that space. Authorities launched that manhunt after Bird allegedly shot and killed Christian County Deputy Gabriel Ramirez throughout a visitors cease Monday afternoon.
After trying to find Bird for hours, authorities caught up with him in a close-by county and engaged in gunfire early Tuesday. That’s when one other Christian County deputy was shot and killed, media reviews present, and two extra had been injured. Of the 2 injured, one is a Christian County Deputy and the opposite a deputy from Webster County, based on the Springfield Daily Citizen.
“It’s been a long day. It’s been a trying day,” Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole informed reporters early Tuesday. “And the upcoming days are going to be harder than today was.”
Bird used to reside in the Kansas City space and has a prison file on the Kansas aspect since that point.
In September 2014, Bird was arrested and charged for allegedly firing photographs at a Johnson County, Kansas, sheriff’s deputy investigating a theft at a development website at 191st Street and State Line Road. At the time, Bird lived in Belton.
According to an article in The Star After his arrest, Bird fired “multiple shots from a rifle at the deputy, who was not hit.”
He was then charged with tried first-degree homicide and theft and his bond was initially set at $1 million.
In the tip, Bird pleaded responsible to lesser expenses and was sentenced in 2016 on five counts stemming from that September 2014 incident.
‘Danger to the group’
Bird has a prolonged prison historical past in each states. He was final launched from the Kansas Department of Corrections in April 2023, on-line data from that company stated.
Less than a yr later, he was charged in Taney County, Missouri, with second-degree housebreaking and first-degree trespassing. He was accused of “forcibly entering an uninhabitable structure” in March 2024 and “was found with gloves, a flashlight, and a knife,” courtroom data present.
At that point, a possible trigger assertion describing the costs in opposition to him stated he was a “danger to the community or to any other person.”
“Richard has been convicted of Burglary and Receiving Stolen Property (03/19/2003), Tampering (02/10/20114), Stealing MV (08/09/2021), Tampering (06/10/2022), and Theft out of Kansas (05/31/2016),” the affidavit stated. “There are reasonable grounds to believe that the defendant will not appear upon a summons because: Richard has had numerous charges for fleeing/resisting as well as a probation violation.”
Later in 2024, Bird was sentenced to a fantastic of $200 and courtroom prices on every of the 2 new counts.
When talking with reporters in southwest Missouri Tuesday morning, Sheriff Cole praised his two fallen officers for safeguarding the residents of Christian County.
“We do what we have to do to make sure that our citizens are safe,” Cole informed reporters, based on the Springfield Daily Citizen. “And that’s what we did today. We took a bad guy off the street and sent him where he needed to be.”
Messages from legislation enforcement
The Billings Police Department posted a message on Facebook after the primary deputy was shot and killed. Billings is positioned in Christian County.
“God called one home today,” the publish stated. “Let us focus our thoughts and prayers on the needs of his family and loved ones. There’s no words for this senseless act to make any sense, so I won’t even try.”
The division’s message additionally requested individuals to “pray for the Christian County Sheriffs Office, the Christian County 911 dispatchers who were on the other end of those radio calls along with answering the 911 calls from the public’s reports.”
“Pray for all the first responders who reply as their lives are without end modified. And proceed to wish for the security of the legislation enforcement group who try to take the suspect into custody, and that no additional legislation enforcement or harmless bystanders might be in harms means.
“May God Bless the Thin Blue Line brothers and sisters.”
The manhunt for Bird ended in Stone County, south of Christian. Dozens of officers and deputies from throughout southwest Missouri had joined in the seek for Bird.
The Aurora Police Department, in close by Lawrence County, additionally posted in regards to the lethal capturing.
“We wish we had the perfect words,” the message stated. “We just don’t.
“God bless the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, the Deputies that lost their lives, the ones recovering in the hospital, the families who have to navigate this unimaginable disaster, and the brothers and sisters in law enforcement who have just had to live through the worst 14 hours of their careers.
“Blessed are the peacemakers.”
This article, initially printed at 10:22 am ET on Feb. 24, has been up to date with extra details about the capturing.
Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, was arrested after he was recognized as one among 4 males proven in social media video throwing snowballs at police responding to a disorderly crowd
Trooper Bailey Martin was outdoors her cruiser when an SUV tried to make a proper flip at excessive pace; the driving force missed the flip and crashed into Martin and his cruiser
The Worcester Police Department has about 400 sworn law enforcement officials, 58 lower than full staffing, and 50 to 60 officers are up for retirement this yr
©2026 The Kansas City Star. Visit kansascity.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
