Ryan Morton, a police officer in Missouri, was shot dead Tuesday night after receiving the wrong address from dispatch. According to state Sgt. Bill Lowe, Morton, and two other officers were dispatched to an incorrect address after a 911 call was made in which two women were heard screaming in the background. Upon arrival, the officers started receiving fire from the suspect. In an attempt to retrieve the suspect, the officers went into the house but were shot, and Morton was killed. The other two officers were rushed to the hospital and survived with only minor injuries.
Authorities say Morton was transferred back to the Clinton Police Department to replace another officer who was shot dead last year. Scanner traffic revealed details of the chaotic scene. A dispatcher is heard asking Officer Morton whether he is ok. Morton replies that he is shot multiple times in his arm, both legs, and chest. The dispatcher then asks if he could escape through the window, but the officer can't move his feet. Two minutes later Morton stops responding, and dispatchers are heard urging him to stay awake and keep talking. Officer Morton never replies.
Clinton Police Department loses another officer
By 12:30 AM, backup had arrived and entered the residence only to find the 37-year-old suspect, James Waters, dead.
It is unclear whether James was shot by the officers or took his own life. No one else was injured during the gunfight. According to the state Sergeant, Morton had once worked with the Clinton Police Department before his recent transfer back to Clinton.
According to ABC Kansas City affiliate KMBC-TV, another police officer from Clinton, Gary Michael, was shot dead in the line of duty.
Michael was murdered after pulling over a driver for a traffic violation in August. The driver, Ian McCarthy has been charged with first-degree murder but pleads not guilty. Sgt. Lowe expressed his sadness over Morton's death and sent his condolences to the Clinton Police Department, who have lost two respected officers in one year.
Investigation still ongoing
According to the Associated Press, prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Michael's killer. Lowe says it’s still too early in the investigation to determine what exactly happened when Morton and the two officers arrived at the suspect's residence. He also added that they are yet to know whether the wrong address was a human or computer error. The Clinton Police Department is well respected by its citizens and other police departments in the area.
