No body or dash camera footage available in fatal shooting of Sedalia woman by deputy
No body camera or dash camera footage is available of Saturday’s shooting death of a Sedalia woman by a Pettis County deputy, the sheriff said.
Pettis County Sheriff Kevin Bond on Monday said the deputy, who has not been publicly identified, was not equipped with either camera when he killed 25-year-old Hannah Fizer during a traffic stop.
The department has no record of previous complaints against the officer, who joined the department in 2007, Bond told the Associated Press.
Fizer was driving to her job at an Eagle Stop convenience store when she was pulled over by the deputy about 10 p.m. Saturday for speeding and driving carelessly on Thompson Boulevard in Sedalia..
She ran a traffic light at West Broadway Boulevard, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which is investigating the shooting at the request of the Pettis County sheriff’s office.
The deputy activated his lights for a traffic stop, Bond said. Fizer slowed down, but continued driving before pulling off into the area where the shooting occurred, between Asian Buffet and Lemaire’s Cajun Catfish and Seafood house.
Bond on Monday didn’t know how fast Fizer was driving or how far she continued down the road before pulling over.
It was unclear if Fizer had a gun, Missouri Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Andy Bell said Sunday. The patrol has said that during the traffic stop, Fizer “refused to identify herself, stated she was armed and verbally threatened to shoot the deputy.”
The situation escalated and the deputy shot Fizer, Bell said. Fizer died a short time later. The deputy was not injured.
Neither Bond nor Bell could elaborate yet on what escalation led to the deputy firing shots.
As of late Monday morning, the deputy involved had not yet been interviewed, Bond said. He believed the vehicle would likely be processed Monday as highway patrol applied for a search warrant in order to search the vehicle for any weapons.
Gun violence is the subject of a new, statewide journalism project The Star is undertaking in Missouri this year in partnership with the national service program Report for America. As part of this project, The Star seeks the community’s help.
To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org.
