Man shot by Liberty police after firing rifle at them was 33

The rifle-carrying man who died in a police shootout in Liberty has been identified as 33-year-old Eric Benjamen Richards.

On Saturday night, police said Richards called dispatch and “made some comments regarding a mass shooting.”

Police responded around 7 p.m. in the 1000 block of Highland Drive to reports of a suicidal man armed with a rifle. Richards fired at the officers when they arrived, police said. They returned fire, killing Richards. The officers were not injured.

The Northland Officer-Involved Shooting Incident Team is investigating.

Liberty police captain Andy Hedrick said on Saturday: “I’m glad police officers are OK, and it’s tragic that someone’s deceased right now as a result of this.”

A GoFundMe has been created for Richard’s funeral expenses.

“Loss is something that all families deal with, but having loss attached to tragedy is something that no family is ever prepared for,” the GoFundMe states.

“On Saturday, August 4, 2018 our family suffered a tragic loss, and needs help with the financial burden of the unthinkable ... burying our child.”

This story was originally published August 6, 2018 at 10:45 AM.