Police in Missouri were searching Monday for a man wanted in connection with a shooting that killed one police officer and injured another late Sunday night.
Hermann Police Department Detective Sgt. Mason Griffith died of his injuries at a hospital after being shot at a convenience store in the small town just before 9:30 p.m., the Missouri Highway Patrol announced early Monday.
Hermann is a city about 80 miles west of St. Louis near the center of the Missouri Rhineland and south of the Missouri River.
The second officer shot, who has not been identified, remained hospitalized in serious condition Monday, troopers said.
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Blue Alert issued for shooting suspect
The patrol issued a “Blue Alert” – released when an officer is killed or seriously injured – and identified the suspect as Kenneth Lee Simpson, 35, of Eureka. The city is in St. Louis County.
On Monday morning, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson expressed condolences for the officers and their families.
“Hermann Police Department Detective Sergeant Mason Griffith will never be forgotten, and Missouri will always be grateful,” Parson tweeted. “Teresa and I are praying for Mason’s family, friends, and fellow law enforcement officers.”
Cpl. Kyle Green of the Missouri Highway Patrol told the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch early Monday that he had no developments to report on the gunman.
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Where were the police officers shot?
Both officers were shot at a convenience store on South Highway 19, police said.
Authorities have not released details describing what led to the shooting or said if officers returned fire. Hermann police Chief Marlon Walker could not be reached for comment by USA TODAY.
About three hours after the shooting, the outlet reported, a manhunt for the suspect was focused near a house in Hermann along Highway 19, not far from the store where the shooting happened.
Officers were asking for spotlights to see between two homes. The scene was described as a standoff of sorts, as police surrounded the home and were yelling at the gunman to come outside.
Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
