A man is dead and three officers are on administrative leave following an officer-involved shooting near Poplar Bluff Junior High on Tuesday morning.
At 8:09 a.m. today, Poplar Bluff police were dispatched to the 700 block of North 11th Street regarding a male subject walking in the area with blood on him. Upon arriving in the area, they located the subject walking in the 700 block of North 12th Street. He was covered in blood and appeared to have a knife in his hand. When officers made contacte, he began inflicting bodily harm to himself with the suspected knife before charging at the officers, who fired their weapons and struck him.
The subject was transported to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center by EMS, where he was pronounced dead.
No officers or bystanders were injured during the incident, according to Sgt. Clark Parrott of Missouri State Highway Patrol.
All three officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure following fatal officer involved shootings. The Missouri State Highway Patrol has been requested to investigate the incident.
“This is a standard thing. In officer involved shootings, they will request MHSP to come in,” Parrott explained.
This investigation is ongoing. An autopsy will be performed Friday, Parrott said.
This story was updated at 1:39 p.m. Feb. 7.