Official: So Many Bodies In Overnight Missouri Shootings ‘You Lose Count’

Updated: February 27, 2015, 10:45 AM

Nine people were found dead overnight at multiple shooting locations in rural southern Missouri, a spokesperson for the Missouri State Highway Patrol said at a Friday morning press conference.

Sgt. Jeff Kinder said there were several confirmed crime scenes in the town of Tyrone, Mo. as well as a possible crime scene in a different county.

Kinder noted that the investigation was very preliminary and described the events that had unfurled after the Texas County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department received a call at about 10:15 p.m. on Thursday.

Kinder said a “juvenile female caller” reported hearing gun shots in her home. She “immediately fled to a neighbor’s house,” and when officers responded they found two dead at the home where the girl had called from.

Officers reportedly later found five more people who had been shot, as well as someone who had been wounded. The five bodies and one wounded person were found at three additional, separate residences, according to Kinder. Officers also found an elderly woman who had died of apparent natural causes.

Kinder confirmed that the 36-year-old suspect was also found dead from “an apparent gunshot wound” in a parked car in Shannon County.

During the conference Kinder had trouble recalling the total number of bodies that were found.

“There, there are — six, seven, eight — isn’t that terrible?” Kinder said as he tried to recall the number of deceased. “You lose count. But uh, no there’s actually nine total victims here in this case.”

In total, Kinder said there were nine bodies, including the elderly woman and the suspected shooter, found in six separate locations, as well as one wounded person.

At the time of the news conference, Kinder said he would not release any of the victims’ names. He also could not provide information on a possible motive for the shootings or any connection between the victims. He also said he could not provide information on the “juvenile female caller.”