The suspect, who is believed to have fatally shot 28-year-old Roy Andrew “Drew” Bar, an employee of the Casey Police Department, has also died, authorities said.
The unidentified suspect committed suicide after officers tried to negotiate with him for seven hours, Chief Chris Cowan told a news conference.
Negotiators from the Colombian Police Department worked for seven hours to reach a “peaceful solution to the situation”, but the suspect eventually took his own life, the chief said.
“Every day, as police officers, we talk about how difficult this job is,” Cowan said. “We are talking about the commitment that is needed to go out at 3 am and risk your life. Officer Bar made the best sacrifice for us to keep us safe and he loved what he did but paid the greatest sacrifice. ”
Bar was shot while reacting to domestic distress shortly before 3 a.m., Casey’s police department said on Facebook.
When police arrived at the home, they found a man standing in the front yard, Cowan said.
As police tried to contact him, shots were heard from inside the house and one of them hit Bar, the chief said.
Domestic disturbance calls are dangerous for police, experts say
Experts say answering a domestic distress call is one of the most dangerous circumstances for police, CNN reported.
FBI figures show that 8.5% of police officers killed between 2011 and 2020 responded to domestic riots or calls for violence.
Several factors can make a domestic violence incident very dangerous for responders, according to John Shane, a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at John J. College of Criminal Justice.
“The first is that you’re entering someone’s private domain and drawing a very public figure into a very personal matter,” Shane told CNN.
“People’s emotions have already increased because of any dispute involved, and now you are carrying the coercive power of the state. People are angry and angry to see you, knowing that there is a potential for them to be arrested and imprisoned.”
Bar was “dedicated” to his work
Bar was a firefighter, emergency medical technician and police officer who was dedicated to his profession, Cowan said.
Bar joined the police force in 2016. He was promoted to K-9 in October 2020 and “loved his dog, Molly,” the chief added.
“He was interested in nothing but serving his community and was shot and killed this morning for no reason,” the chief said. “There was no call for it. There was no reason for it. It was unforgivable.”
During a brief press conference, Mayor Eliz Partin said Bar is an important part of the city just outside Colombia.
“Our hearts are breaking in Casey,” Partin said.
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