--- description: A manhunt is underway in Missouri for the suspect who shot and killed a police officer during a traffic stop late Sunday night. title: Missouri Police Officer Shot and Killed During Traffic Stop image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Missouri](/tag/missouri/) ## Missouri Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Missouri Police Officer Shot and Killed During Traffic Stop  by [Julia Zorthian](/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 7, 2017 2:27 PM CUT  by [Julia Zorthian](/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 7, 2017 2:27 PM CUT A [manhunt is underway](http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article165802862.html "undefined") in Missouri for a suspect who shot and killed a police officer during a traffic stop late Sunday night. Clinton Police Department Officer Gary Michael, 37, stopped a vehicle for a registration violation when the driver allegedly got out of his car and shot him, according to State Highway Patrol Sergeant Bill Lowe. Michael returned fire before the suspect drove off, [KCTV reports.](http://www.kctv5.com/story/36075847/manhunt-underway-after-officer-shot-killed-in-clinton-mo "undefined") Michael died from his injuries at a local hospital. “A lot of people call traffic stops routine but there isn’t a routine traffic stop,” Lowe said, [according to KCTV](http://www.kctv5.com/story/36075847/manhunt-underway-after-officer-shot-killed-in-clinton-mo "undefined"). “We’re always mindful that something bad could happen.” > [](https://twitter.com/KCTV5/status/894547287338356736) It is unclear if any of the rounds Michael fired hit the suspect, who crashed the car as he fled and continued on foot. The Highway Patrol has [identified](http://abcnews.go.com/US/manhunt-underway-missouri-police-officer-killed-traffic-stop/story?id=49073829 "undefined") Ian McCarthy, 39, as a person of interest, and police are asking the public for information. > [](https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperA/status/894514912965341184) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4889558/missouri-cop-shooting-manhunt/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4889558/missouri-cop-shooting-manhunt/"},"headline":"Missouri Police Officer Shot and Killed During Traffic Stop","datePublished":"2017-08-07T14:27:34.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T16:53:14.606Z","description":"A manhunt for the shooter is underway","url":"https://time.com/4889558/missouri-cop-shooting-manhunt/","keywords":["Missouri","Crime","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Julia Zorthian","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/missouri/","name":"Missouri"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4889558/missouri-cop-shooting-manhunt/","name":"Missouri Police Officer Shot and Killed During Traffic Stop"}}]}] ```