According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a police officer and a court official were shot and killed Thursday during an eviction at a home in Independence, Missouri, roughly an hour from Kansas City.
Justin Ewing of the Missouri State Highway Patrol revealed at a press conference Thursday night that four people were shot in the incident: three Independence Police Department officers and one civil process server from Jackson County Circuit Court.
The police chief identified the victims as Independence Police Officer Cody Allen and court staffer Drexel Mack. The remaining two policemen who were shot are recovering from their injuries, according to the chief.
The first calls from the incident came in at 1:09 p.m. local time, reporting that a civil process server from Jackson County Circuit Court had been shot at the property, according to Ewing. Several additional process servers were on the site, but no officers were present, according to officials.
Officers from the Independence Police Department responded to a plea for emergency help and were fired upon, according to Ewing.
Ewing said that a male suspect was taken into custody and taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
The Independence Police Department previously reported that two officers were evacuated from a residence with gunshot wounds.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson issued a statement on X as the event progressed, confirming that officers were shot and injured.
“Teresa and I are praying for the @IndepMoPolice officers involved and all who work to protect us,” Parson stated in a tweet.
Parson verified that the Missouri State Highway Patrol was on the site, assisting Independence Police.