CLINTON, Mo. — The family of slain Clinton, Missouri police officer Gary Michael, says the capture of his accused killer is the first step in a long road to recovery from the family tragedy.
Ian McCarthy,39, was captured by the Missouri Highway Patrol Tuesday night in Urich, Missouri after a passerby spotted him walking along the road and called the Henry County Sheriff’s Department.
Officer Michael was shot to death Sunday night in Clinton, after he pulled over an SUV near the Henry County 9-1-1 Center, and the driver got out, firing from a rifle. Michael was shot in the chest, through his bullet-proof vest.
Chris Michael, Gary Michael’s brother, has been the family spokesman since the shooting. Tuesday night, he was the one who got the news of McCarthy’s arrest.
“Got a text, then got a phone call. Then we were able to share some hugs. And our night changed a little bit,” he told reporters. “we just want to thank you, to the men and women that have been out there.”
Highway Patrol officials say McCarthy did have a gunshot wound, although they declined to say where on his body he was wounded. Officer Michael was able to return fire and call for help on his police radio after he was shot. McCarthy was taken to a hospital in Kansas City Tuesday night. Kansas City media reported he was released from the hospital Wednesday morning.
Earlier Tuesday, a SWAT operation failed to apprehend McCarthy. Law enforcement personnel working on a tip swarmed the small community of Chilhowee, 22 miles north of Clinton.
“Nobody backed down and they out there and found him and they got him,” Chris Michael said of the large law enforcement effort to find McCarthy. “And it’s gonna help us heal. It’s just a good moment in a bad situation.”
“We are relieved because it was always a cloud,” he said. “We knew there were going to be some hard days coming. We didn’t want that cloud hanging over. And there’s a lot of people taking it personally, because their brother was taken from them as well. And we just want a resolution for everybody. And now we have had the first step in that resolution.
“There’s going to be hard day to come, but we’ve got each other. And now everybody can go home. Now we get to remember the man he was and let justice be served,” Michael said.
Wednesday morning, several area law enforcement agencies escorted the body of officer Gary Michael from the medical examiner’s office in Jackson County back to Clinton, Missouri.
Along the way, fire departments, police and sheriff’s departments and ordinary citizens lined the highway overpasses and embankments to honor him. Here is video from Michael’s final ride home:
The Clinton Police Department announced funeral arrangement for Officer Gary Michael:
A candle light vigil has been set to take place Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 8:30pm located at The Henry County Court House 100 West Franklin Street. The public is encouraged to attend.
Visitation will be held Friday, August 11, 2017 from 1800 to 2100 at Vansant-Mills Funeral Home 314 West Jefferson Street in Clinton Missouri 660-885-2021.
The funeral will be held on Saturday August 12, 2017 at 11:00am at Benson Convention Center 1008 East Sedalia Avenue Clinton Missouri.
Prior to the services there will be a public viewing at the Benson Convention Center from 9:00am to 11:00am.
Interment will be at Englewood Cemetery located at 1804 East Ohio Street, Clinton, Missouri.
