Authorities have identified the man who was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire with deputies in Cass County, Missouri, on Wednesday morning.
The Western Missouri Sheriff’s Critical Incident Investigations Team said the suspect was Russell Heide, 55, of Archie, Missouri. The shooting happened in a rural area near Archie after deputies responded to a disturbance call.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing as authorities review the circumstances that led to the deadly encounter.
Deputies Responded To Disturbance Call
According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called shortly before 8:15 a.m. Wednesday to the 32000 block of Dorsett Hill Lane after receiving a report of a disturbance.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they encountered an armed man in the driveway of the property. Officials said the situation quickly escalated, and deputies and the suspect exchanged gunfire.
During the exchange, the suspect was struck. Authorities said he died from his injuries at the scene.
No deputies were injured in the incident.
Investigation Handed To Critical Incident Team
Following the shooting, the Western Missouri Sheriff’s Critical Incident Investigations Team was assigned to investigate the incident.
Critical incident teams are often brought in after officer-involved shootings to provide an independent review of what happened. Investigators are expected to examine evidence from the scene, interview witnesses, review deputy statements and determine the sequence of events.
Authorities have not yet released further details about what led to the disturbance call or what happened in the moments before shots were fired.
Suspect Identified By Authorities
The man killed in the shooting was identified as Russell Heide, 55. Officials said he was from Archie, a community in Cass County.
No additional information about Heide was immediately released. Authorities have not said whether anyone else was present at the property when deputies arrived or whether the disturbance involved other people.
The sheriff’s office also did not immediately say how many deputies fired their weapons or how many shots were exchanged during the incident.
Deputies Not Injured In Shooting
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that no deputies were hurt during the gunfire exchange.
After the shooting, the scene was secured so investigators could begin collecting evidence. It is common in such cases for involved deputies to be placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues, though officials have not provided details about deputy status in this case.
More information may be released once investigators complete their initial review.
Sheriff’s Office Clarifies Unrelated Case
Authorities also clarified that the suspect killed in the deputy-involved shooting was not the person wanted in connection with a string of highway shootings reported last week in Kansas City.
That clarification was issued to prevent confusion, as the rural Archie shooting occurred during a period of concern over separate regional gunfire incidents.
The sheriff’s office said the two cases are not connected.
A 55-year-old man was killed Wednesday morning after Cass County deputies responded to a disturbance call and exchanged gunfire with an armed suspect in rural Archie, Missouri.
Officials identified the man as Russell Heide and said no deputies were injured. The Western Missouri Sheriff’s Critical Incident Investigations Team is continuing to investigate the deadly shooting.