In the early morning hours of September 24, 2022, a police pursuit in Christian County, Missouri, culminated in the shooting death of 37-year-old Timothy W. Shafer. The events began to unfold around 3:00 a.m. when an Ozark Police officer attempted to pull over a vehicle driven by Shafer on suspicion of impaired driving near the interchange of Highway 65 and Highway 14.
Shafer did not comply and fled southbound, initially eluding the officer who chose not to pursue at that time but alerted other law enforcement agencies.
A short time later, Christian County Sheriff's deputies spotted the vehicle near Highlandville and initiated a pursuit when Shafer once again refused to stop. Officers from the Nixa and Ozark police departments joined the chase. The pursuit ended near the interchange of Highway 65 and CC, close to Fremont Hills, after a Christian County deputy successfully performed a tactical vehicle intervention maneuver to stop Shafer's car.
Following the stop, Shafer and his passenger, 23-year-old Donna M. Bailey, did not comply with officers' commands. At one point, Shafer allegedly attempted to strike a deputy with his vehicle. The situation escalated when Shafer, who was reportedly moving in and out of the driver's side window, brandished a firearm. This action prompted five officers—two from the Christian County Sheriff's Office, two from the Ozark Police Department, and one from the Nixa Police Department—to open fire. Both Shafer and Bailey were struck by the gunfire and were pronounced deceased at the scene after officers rendered aid.
Subsequent reports revealed that Timothy Shafer had a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2009 and was wanted on outstanding warrants for drugs and felony stealing. The five officers involved in the shooting were placed on paid administrative leave, a standard procedure, while the Greene County Sheriff's Office, as part of a multi-county Critical Incident Team, conducted an investigation into the deadly encounter.
