A deadly series of events unfolded late Sunday morning in Crystal City, Missouri, leaving a woman dead inside a pickup truck and a man critically injured after a confrontation with police.
The incident began around 11 a.m. when Festus police responded to reports of gunfire near a White Castle restaurant on Highway A near Interstate 55. Officers identified a Dodge Ram pickup truck believed to be linked to the shooting and pursued it toward Crystal City, according to Festus Police Chief Doug Wendel.
The pursuit ended when the truck struck a concrete median on South Truman Parkway, spinning to a stop. The driver, identified as Jarrett Cousins, exited the vehicle wearing body armor and wielding multiple firearms, Crystal City Police Chief Chad Helms said.
Witnesses described the chaotic scene as Cousins pointed pistols at his own head, fired them into the air, and acted erratically. Despite repeated commands to drop his weapons, Cousins pointed a gun at officers, prompting them to open fire. Cousins was struck, collapsed, but stood again, pointing a firearm once more, leading officers to fire additional shots.
Inside the truck, officers discovered the body of Clara Blaxton, whose death was not caused by police gunfire, according to Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak. The cause of her death remains under investigation, and officials confirmed the truck bore Arkansas license plates, suggesting the pair had traveled to Missouri earlier that day.
Cousins sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a hospital, where his condition remains unknown. Police officers involved in the shooting were not injured.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the incident. Authorities are seeking information, cell phone footage, or surveillance video that could aid in piecing together the events leading to Blaxton’s death and the subsequent confrontation.
The tragedy highlights the risks law enforcement officers face and raises questions about the circumstances surrounding Blaxton’s death and Cousins’ erratic behavior. As investigations continue, the local community remains shaken by the violent events that disrupted an otherwise quiet Sunday morning.