2 injured in incident involving Cape officer; highway patrol investigating

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday night in Cape Girardeau.

Police officers responded to a domestic incident involving a gun at the intersection of Green Acres Drive and Rand Street around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Sgt. Clark Parrott of the highway patrol.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found a woman who had suffered a gunshot wound.

Parrott said Wednesday that police told him that they found an armed individual who they believed to be the suspect in the dispute. The suspect failed to follow commands and was shot by the officers, according to information provided to the highway patrol.

Both the victim and the suspect were transported to a hospital, Parrott said.

Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Rick Schmidt said Wednesday that the department requested the patrol investigate the shooting.

Schmidt said it is department policy to request a highway patrol investigation when there is an officer-involved shooting.

Parrott echoed that comment. He said local law enforcement agencies routinely make such requests.

"We are an unbiased third party," Parrott said, explaining why other agencies request the patrol investigate such shootings.

Parrott said the patrol will release its findings and the names of the officers once its investigation has been completed.

The identity of the woman and suspect also had not been released as of Wednesday morning.

Parrott said he expects the patrol's investigation into this officer-involved shooting to be "short and sweet."