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A suspect was arrested Tuesday in connection with the shooting death of a Missouri police officer, according to authorities.
Richard Dean Bird, 45, was taken into custody early Tuesday morning following the fatal shooting of a Christian County deputy that occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said on social media.
The incident sparked a search for the suspect, who was considered armed and dangerous.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol described the suspect as a bald white man with brown eyes who was approximately 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighed approximately 145 pounds.
Richard Dean Bird, 45, was arrested after the shooting death of a Christian County deputy. (Missouri State Highway Patrol)
The suspect vehicle was previously identified as a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck with Missouri license plate 9MGX36.
The truck was seen in the area of the shooting and was later reported traveling south on U.S. Route 160 from Route HH in Christian County. US 160 runs south through southern Missouri and crosses into north-central Arkansas east of Harrison.
“The truck has been located,” the Stone County Sheriff's Office, which assisted in the search, wrote Monday night in X.
Several lawmakers previously reacted to the deputy's death.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert for a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck, Missouri license plate 9MGX36, after a Christian County deputy was shot and killed near Highlandville. (Missouri State Highway Patrol Facebook)
“A deputy in my home county was shot and killed today. Erin and I are praying for his family. May justice be swift,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., called the incident “a devastating loss in Christian County.”
“As local authorities work to bring the suspect to justice, my prayers are with the officer's loved ones and those who served shoulder to shoulder with him to keep Missouri safe,” Schmitt wrote in X.
Missouri State Representative Jamie Ray Gragg said on Facebook: “My heart is broken for our congressman's family. While they understand that this profession carries risks, senseless acts like this are beyond comprehension.”
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol described the suspect as a bald white male with brown eyes who is approximately 5'6″ and weighs about 145 pounds. (Jordyn Noennig/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA TODAY Network/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images)
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Blue Alerts, like the one initially issued in this case, are similar to Amber Alerts in that they are designed to quickly notify the public. However, a Blue Alert is issued when a suspect is believed to have seriously injured or killed a law enforcement officer and may pose an ongoing threat.
“Blue Alert canceled. Suspect in custody,” the Missouri State Highway Patrol said Tuesday morning.
Fox News' Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
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