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Incident At Springfield Police Department Headquarters Results In Injuries To Officer And Suspect

Jennifer Moore

Update:  The officer injured in the Tuesday morning incident has been identified as Mark Priebe, a 21-year veteran of the Springfield Police Department.    The suspect is 28-year-old Jon Tyler Franklin Routh.

Original Story:  A police officer and a suspect are hospitalized after an incident Tuesday morning at the Springfield Police Department Headquarters on E. Chestnut Expressway.

Springfield Police chief, Paul Williams, said a man entered the police department's lobby and began banging on doors and tried to gain access to the main part of the building.  He was asked to leave, did so and began urinating on the building.  Before officers could respond, the suspect left.

Williams said while officers were still on scene, the man returned in a white SUV.  An officer tried to flag him down to talk to him, according to Williams, and the suspect stepped on the gas, and ran into the officer, pinning him between the vehicle and a concrete barrier.  Another officer yelled at the suspect to get out of the vehicle, he refused, and the officer shot him.  

Other officers responded, according to Williams, pulled the suspect out of the vehicle, handcuffed him, rendered aid, and he was transferred to a hospital.  The vehicle was pushed off of the injured injured officer, and he was taken to a hospital.

Williams said at a press briefing at 10:45 a.m. they had not yet identified the suspect.  The officer was breathing and talking when he was taken for treatment.

An investigation is underway.

Michele Skalicky has worked at KSMU since the station occupied the old white house at National and Grand. She enjoys working on both the announcing side and in news and has been the recipient of statewide and national awards for news reporting. She likes to tell stories that make a difference. Michele enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and leisurely kayaking.