Man Accused of Killing Cop During Traffic Stop Arrested

A man charged with killing a western Missouri police officer during a traffic stop was arrested Tuesday evening, authorities say. Missouri State Highway Patrol dispatchers say Ian McCarthy, 39, was taken into custody in Henry County, which includes the city of Clinton. McCarthy is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Clinton police officer Gary Michael on Sunday night, the AP reports. About 100 local, county, and state law enforcement officers had been looking for McCarthy since the shooting. Investigators believe McCarthy jumped from his vehicle and shot the 37-year-old officer before driving a short distance, crashing his vehicle, and fleeing on foot.

McCarthy is also wanted in New Hampshire, where a warrant was issued in 2013 when he failed to show up for sentencing on a disorderly conduct charge, according to court records in that state. He served about four years in prison there for first-degree assault and a parole violation. He also is wanted on a warrant out of Johnson County, Missouri, in 2015 for unlawful possession of a firearm. It's possible that those warrants prompted McCarthy to shoot Michael to avoid arrest, Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said. He also could have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or not in his right mind for some reason, but "it's hard to say unless we have him here to ask," Lowe said Tuesday afternoon. (More Missouri stories.)