Child, man killed, deputy injured after assault leads to police shooting in Lawson, MO
A toddler and man were killed and a Ray County deputy injured after a domestic disturbance call quickly escalated into gunfire Sunday night in Lawson, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said in a news release.
A Lawson police officer and a Ray County Sheriff’s deputy responded about 7:35 p.m. to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 200 block of Montgomery Street in Lawson, about 40 miles northeast of Kansas City.
When they arrived, they were told that a man had been assaulting a woman and that there was athree-year-old child inside the home, the highway patrol said.
When officers contacted the man inside the home, he allegedly shot at officers with a firearm, striking the deputy. The highway patrol said officers returned fire and retreated outside. The deputy was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Law enforcement agencies from the surrounding area, including the Clay County Sheriff’s tactical team, responded to assist officers with the standoff.
With information that a child might be held hostage and that additional gunfire had been heard coming from inside the home, the tactical team entered the house shortly after 9 p.m., the highway patrol said. Deputies found both the man and child dead inside. They had been fatally shot.
“The investigation is still ongoing and we can not confirm the exact circumstances at this time,” said Cpl. Justin Ewing, a spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop A.
The highway patrol identified the man as 26-year-old Brett J. Yager of Lawson. The child’s name was not released.
The woman who was assaulted was found safe, the highway patrol said. No other officers were injured.
The highway patrol’s division of drug and crime control is investigating the police shooting and the death investigation.
This story was originally published November 18, 2024 at 7:28 AM.
