The Christian County Sheriff’s Office has named the second officer killed in the line of duty during a shootout. According to the office, 30-year-old Deputy Gabriel Ramirez, who had been with the office since March 14, 2025, was killed during a traffic stop along Highway 160 Monday. Forty-year-old Deputy Michael Hislope, who joined the Christian County Sheriff’s Office in October 2019, was killed during an effort to apprehend the suspect, Richard Dean Bird.
Sheriff Brad Cole said in a statement “it is with the heaviest of hearts that we mourn the loss of two of our own.” He said of Ramirez, “though his time with us was very brief, his commitment to serving others and protecting this community was clear from the very beginning.”
Cole said Hislope served the community honorably and that “he was a dedicated deputy, a trusted colleague, and a valued member of our sheriff’s office family.”
Cole said the men “answered the call to serve, putting the safety of others before their own, including serving the nation in the U.S. Army. Their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to Christian County will never be forgotten.”
The sheriff asked the community to keep the deputies’ families, friends and fellow deputies in their thoughts and prayers.
In a statement posted on social media, Governor Mike Kehoe said, “The terrible tragedy is yet another solemn reminder of the sacrifices law enforcement officers make to keep our communities safe.” He said he’s grateful for the collaboration between local, state and federal partners to take down the perpetrator.
The Ozark School District said Ramirez and Hislope were graduates of Ozark Schools. The district has rescheduled its board of education meeting Tuesday night to Thursday night at 7 “out of respect for the families and the community.”
The district said, in honor of their service and sacrifice, the Ozark School District will make plans to lower all American flags on district properties to half-staff.
The district said in a statement “we extend our love and sympathy to the families, Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and extended community during this unimaginable time.”
District officials said they’re keeping the injured deputies – one from Christian County and one from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office – and their families in their thoughts as the deputies recover.
