KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One Hermann, Missouri, police officer is dead and one is in serious but stable condition, after a shooting Sunday in Hermann.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol had issued a Blue Alert for Kenneth Lee Simpson, whom troopers said shot two officers and fled the scene.
Police say Simpson barricaded inside a home in Hermann after the shooting.
The Blue Alert was later canceled Monday afternoon Simpson was taken into custody.
A Blue Alert, which is issued when a law enforcement officer is killed or seriously injured in the line of duty, was put in place Sunday.
Simpson, 35, is described as a 5 foot, 10 inches, 180 pounds and as a white male with red hair and hazel eyes. The highway patrol says he is suspected of shooting the two officers at the Casey's store at 811 Market Street in Hermann, then fleeing the scene.
One of the officers, Det. Sgt. Mason Griffith, 34, succumbed to his injuries following the shooting.
The other officer, Adam Sullentrup, 31, is in stable condition.
"Please keep these brave men and their family, friends, and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers," the city of Hermann said in a statement.
Hermann is about three hours east of Kansas City.
The Gasconade County R-1 School District will be closed Monday as a safety precaution.
Simpson is considered armed and dangerous.
Anyone who knows his whereabouts is encouraged to call 911.
Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt honored Griffith in a statement.
"Last night was a truly tragic night as Detective Sergeant Mason Griffith of the Hermann Police Department was shot and killed while another officer was wounded. My thoughts and prayers go out to Detective Sergeant Griffith’s family and loved ones – his sacrifice will never be forgotten. The men and women in uniform put their lives on the line every single day in service of the communities they live in, and they deserve our respect and honor. It’s my hope that the perpetrator of this crime is apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Gasconade County Sheriff’s Department, Hermann Area District Hospital, Hermann Ambulance District and Hermann Area Volunteer Fire Department were among the agencies to respond to the scene, according to the city of Hermann.
Hermann city offices are closed to the public Monday due to the events of the shooting.
