St. Joseph Homicide Suspect Flees Officers, Then Shoots Self

On June 1, 2011, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers and Lafayette County deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a suspect wanted in questioning of a homicide investigation that occurred earlier in the day in St. Joseph, Missouri. The suspect, Ty Arnold, 28, of St. Joseph, Missouri, was wanted in connection with the shooting death of his wife. The suspect exited onto southbound U.S. Highway 65 from eastbound Interstate 70. The trooper activated his emergency lights and a pursuit ensued. Arnold attempted to avoid spike strips deployed by a trooper by traveling through the median and turning around to travel north on U.S. 65. As the suspect did this, he fired several rounds at officers from his vehicle. As the pursuit continued north, the suspect began firing several rounds, indiscriminately, from his vehicle. The pursuit continued northbound on U.S. 65 from I-70 when the suspect's vehicle became disabled as a result of the spike strips. The suspect exited his vehicle and fired rounds at troopers and a Lafayette County deputy striking their patrol vehicles. The suspect returned to his vehicle where he was found to be fatally injured from a gunshot wound. Three subjects, who were in the area at the time of the shooting, were injured as a result of Arnold firing at the officers. Mr. Kevin W. Jones, 50, of Lebanon, Missouri, the driver of a tractor trailer was shot in the head and was transported to University Hospital, where he was treated and released. Mr. Christopher Gerke, 32, Pilot Grove, Missouri, traveling in his personal vehicle, was shot in the hip. Mr. Gerke was also treated and released from University Hospital. The passenger in the tractor-trailer, Ritchie See, 31, Montgomery City, Missouri, was transported by ambulance to Sweet Springs Hospital in Sweet Springs, Missouri, where he was treated and released for minor injuries sustained from glass debris. A total of six patrol cars were damaged from shots being fired by Arnold.An autopsy of Arnold was conducted by the Boone County medical examiner, which revealed he was fatally injured from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Members of the Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control are continuing to investigate the shooting incident.