DE SOTO, Mo. (AP) — A suspect is dead after being shot in an exchange of gunfire with police in eastern Missouri.
The shooting happened Tuesday morning in De Soto, a town of 6,300 residents about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department is handling the investigation. Sheriff Dave Marshak identified the man who died as Noah D. Sharp, 26, of St. Louis.
The shooting happened about 8 a.m. Tuesday when three De Soto officers responded to a call about a domestic disturbance.
Sharp came out of the home and fired at the officers, who returned fire, Marshak said. The home belonged to Sharp’s ex-girlfriend and he occasionally stayed there.
“From (our) initial investigation, we believe officers gave verbal commands to drop the firearm as the suspect began shooting,” Marshak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Investigators believe Sharp “didn’t intend to survive” the encounter with officers, according to sheriff’s spokesman Grant Bissell. He died at the scene.
One De Soto officer officer suffered a minor injury.
The three officers who responded to the scene were placed on administrative leave, which is customary after police shootings.
Sharp in 2015 was sentenced to jail after pleaded guilty to stealing a car and driving while intoxicated. He also pleaded guilty in 2015 to third-degree assault.
