UPDATE: The man killed by Springfield police officers early Wednesday has been identified. He is 30-year-old Joseph Tyndall from the Joplin area. Springfield police say his only known relative in that area has been notified.
According to a news release from the Springfield Police Department, Tyndall had a lengthy criminal history that included convictions for unlawful of use of a weapon, burglary, receiving stolen property and numerous other arrests. He was on parole at the time of the incident.
The gun that Tyndall pointed at the officers was recently reported stolen from a commercial burglary in Springfield. The car that he was driving was reported stolen from Joplin. A search of the stolen car revealed several other guns, including another handgun stolen in the Springfield commercial burglary.
Tyndall was dressed in a Joplin Fire Department uniform, which had also been reported stolen in a car break-in this past week in Joplin. He was a suspect in a number of Springfield commercial burglaries and other property-related crimes.
The department says the investigation is ongoing, and no further details are available for release at this time.
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We have more details about the officer-involved shooting that occurred early this morning: Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams said the incident began around 12:40 am when police sergeant Ryan Russell discovered a wrecked vehicle at Glenstone and Kearney. The other vehicle had left the scene. When Russell located the suspect in his vehicle at Americas Best Value Inn, the man displayed a handgun, exited his vehicle and took off. A pursuit followed through the K-Mart and Wal-Mart parking lots. Williams said the man continued to display the gun as more officers arrived on the scene.
According to Williams, the officers deployed less lethal weapons, including tasers and bean bag rounds fired from a shotgun, several times, but they were unable to stop the suspect. He said they made every effort possible to bring the incident to a non-violent end.
"Talking to the suspect, trying to get him to surrender, utilizing other means; at the same time making sure we kept people safe. I mean, there was definitely a consideration for all the folks in Walmart coming and going," he said.
According to Williams, the suspect fired one shot while in the Walmart parking lot--that round has been recovered.
The pursuit ended at the Rail Haven Motel when Sergeant Russell and officer Thomas Gross fired their handguns to take the suspect down as he pointed his weapon at them, according to Williams. Officers moved in to secure the suspect and performed CPR, but the man died at the scene. Williams said the entire incident from the traffic stop to when officers fired their weapons was ten to 15 minutes.
He urges people who might have witnessed anything to call the police department at 864-1810.
"I'd say anyone who was there and has something to share, let us talk to you. Let us decide whether it's important or not, but any and all information is what we're looking for at this point," he said.
An autopsy is scheduled for today. The suspect has not yet been identified.
The officers who fired the fatal shots are currently on administrative leave while investigations continue.
Listen to the entire media briefing:
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Springfield police officers have been involved in a shooting in which one man was killed, according to an SPD Twitter post. No officers were injured. The shooting happened near Kearney and Glenstone.
The police department advises motorists to avoid Kearney, between Glenstone and Highway 65, as much as possible while an investigation continues.
The police department will hold a media briefing at 11 am. KSMU will bring you more information as it become available.
