Boone County Sheriff’s deputies say a suspect involved in a Tuesday daytime standoff at a Sturgeon mobile home park has been found dead.
Boone County Sheriff’s Captain Brian Leer tells reporters that the suspect fired multiple shots at law enforcement officers, damaging two armored police vehicles. Captain Leer says it’s unclear if the suspect was killed by law enforcement or if he shot himself.
“We did have several law enforcement officers return fire at various points. So we’ve asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol (DDCC) to come up (from Jefferson City) and assist in an investigation. This was a multi-jurisdiction response,” Captain Leer says.
Audio is courtesy of our news partner KMIZ, which identified the suspect as 41-year-old Damion Linder, a convicted felon who was on probation for concealing a felony and interference with custody. ABC-17 reporters could hear law enforcement officers calling for Linder to leave the home. Boone County prosecutors charged Linder on Tuesday with domestic assault and two other felonies, before the standoff.
No other injuries are reported, but ABC-17’s Mitch Kaminski says reporter Gabriele Teiner had to duck for cover, when Linder allegedly began firing at police at one point. Clouds of smoke could be seen in the area, from the gunfire. Captain Leer tells reporters that two armored police vehicles, including a Columbia Police armored vehicle, were damaged by gunfire:
“We have no officers that were struck by gunfire. We do have multiple armored vehicles that were shot up during this incident. And luckily that’s why we get those to protect the personnel, and they can be repaired and replaced. But yeah again, not the outcome we wanted,” says Captain Leer.
A number of Sturgeon residents had to be evacuated during the standoff, which ended at about 7 pm.