The armed fugitive who, after a police chase on Interstate 44 on Tuesday, fired at and then was killed by law-enforcement officers who returned gunfire, has been identified as a 29-year-old Fort Worth, Texas, man.
Patrick L. Greer, 29, of Fort Worth tried to elude Cuba Police, Crawford County Sheriff’s Department deputies and troopers of the Missouri State Highway Patrol about 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, culminating in the shootout at Mile-Marker 200, near the Phelps County and Crawford County line.
Contact with Greer was initiated Tuesday morning after the U.S. Secret Service notified the Cuba Police Department that Greer may be in the area and that felony warrants had been issued for his arrest. Reports of Greer’s Ford pickup truck with Texas license plates were identified in Cuba.
Greer jumped in his truck, fled the scene dragging a Cuba Police officer for a short distance. He headed west on Interstate 44 where he crossed tire spikes that flattened three of his tires, leading to the shootout with police.
The felony warrants issued for Greer were for assault, a drug violation and engaging in organized crime.
After the shootout that involved a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper, and Crawford County law-enforcement officers, Greer was fatally wounded and was taken to Phelps County Regional Medical Center where he died.
Greer’s identification was withheld until Wednesday, after next-of-kin had been notified.
Also, the trio of law-enforcement officials involved in the shootout were neither injured nor have they been identified. The trooper has been placed on routine administrative leave pending completion of the investigation.
Authorities do not know why Greer was in Cuba, but police are investigating, said Sgt. Dan Crain, public information officer with Troop I at the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
