UPDATE 3/1/23 — Patterson is scheduled to have a case review at 9 a.m. on April 5.
Original story, published Feb. 27, 2023:
MILLER COUNTY, Mo. — A man was arrested after deputies responded to a call about a suicidal male that ended up with law enforcement getting shot at.
James Douglas Patterson, 62, of Tuscumbia, is formally charged with five felonies:
- Two counts of armed criminal actions.
- Second-degree assault on a special victim.
- Second-degree assault.
- Unlawful use of a weapon.
According to court documents, Miller County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to Pea Ridge Road in Tuscumbia at 12:03 p.m. on Feb. 23. The caller told law enforcement that Patterson had taken 20 pills to stop his heart and began walking into the woods behind the house in his underwear.
While deputies were en route, Patterson returned to the house and told the caller — who was sitting in a van outside — to leave. When deputies arrived, she was still there and told them that he was inside the house.
The deputies walked into the open garage and knocked on a door. Eventually, Patterson came and stood in front of the door. After deputies told him they were there to ensure his safety, Patterson began yelling at them to get off of his property. Patterson said that if they didn’t leave, he was going to commit suicide by cop by forcing them to kill him.
Patterson walked away while deputies tried to talk to them. He began screaming. Some moments later, deputies heard two gunshots come from inside the home. The deputies ran to their patrol vehicles for cover and one attempted to remove the caller from her van. Patterson came out of the home with a lever-action rifle and yelled at the deputies.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol SWAT team was called in. They took Patterson into custody.
Patterson was scheduled to have an arraignment at 9 a.m. today, Feb. 27. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
