ST. PETERS, Mo.—A 21-year-old eastern Missouri man suspected of shooting a police officer was shot and killed when he fired several rounds at officers who were pursuing him, authorities said.
Joe Robideau, of Troy, died after being shot Thursday evening, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office said.
Robideau was a suspect in the shooting of a St. Peters police officer during a traffic stop earlier Thursday. That officer was treated at a hospital for a gunshot wound to the leg and released.
After Robideau was spotted Thursday evening by an off-duty Lake St. Louis police officer, Lincoln County sheriff’s deputies and officers from several law enforcement agencies joined in the pursuit, which led to southern Lincoln County.
The suspect stopped near Foristell, jumped out of vehicle and immediately began shooting at officers, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office said in a news release Friday. After shooting several rounds from one rifle, he continued firing from a second weapon.
Two Lincoln County deputies and a Lake St. Louis officer returned fired, hitting Robideau, who died at a hospital. No law enforcement officers were hurt.
One Lincoln County deputy is 25 with four years of service, and the other is 53 with 30 years of service, the department said. The Lake St. Louis officer is 38 with 15 years of service.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the shooting.
“The law enforcement officers involved in this incident and area residents are very fortunate to have not been killed or injured due to the amount of gunfire from the suspect,“ Lincoln County Sheriff Rick Harrell said in a statement. ”This tragic event highlights the dangers we face every day in this profession. We cannot thank the assisting law enforcement agencies enough. By the grace of God we are thankful that there was no other loss of life.”
