Life in Sturgeon, especially for law enforcement and residents of the Canada Street trailer park, became more serious around 9:55 a.m., Tuesday, June 4.
By around 6:44 p.m., one Sturgeon resident, Damion Linder, 41, of 110 E. Canada St. Lot 18, was dead. Between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., shooting from his mobile home, he had exchanged gunfire several times with law enforcement officers from at least four agencies, the Columbia Police Department, the Boone and Callaway Sheriff’s Offices and the Missouri State Highway.
Law enforcement staging.
Armored vehicles from those agencies participated in the day-long standoff and firefights as well as officers from the Hallsville and Sturgeon police departments.
The Highway Patrol also had a helicopter monitoring the scene.
Law enforcement’s first vehicular approach
Scott Cramner and his wife Sandy, sheltering in place, but watching.
Waiting as cover smoke and OC smoke are deployed at Linder’s trailer.
That is when, Brian Leer, captain with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, said “The Sturgeon Police Department was initially dispatched to an incident. We responded to assist based on some information that he was armed and made some threats. We knew there was some potential for some violence.”
Leer’s BCSO news release said: “Contact was made with the victim away from the scene and probable cause was developed to believe that the suspect, Damion A. Linder (age 41), had physically assaulted and injured the victim. Probable cause was also developed to believe Linder pointed a firearm at the victim’s head and told the victim to clean up blood from the assault within the residence.
Besides Boone County, Hallsville PD also responded.
“We got up here and tried to make contact with the suspect down at the trailer court,” Leer said, speaking with the Centralia Fireside Guard in the parking lot of the Sturgeon Baptist Church, from where, that evening, church volunteers had been supplying cold water and food to the dozens of residents displaced or evacuated from their homes by the firefight.
“Boone County Sheriff’s office took over the incident, took over command. We had personnel with the victim and removed her from the area and insured she got the resources she needed and tried to make contact with the suspect.”
Also from Leer’s release: “A probable cause statement was submitted to the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office asking that Linder be charged with 2nd Degree Domestic Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Charges were filed and a warrant was issued for Linder’s arrest. Additionally, a search warrant application was submitted, which resulted in the issuance of a search warrant for Linder’s residence.”
The suspect, Linder, Leer said, did not want to cooperate.
“We made contact with the suspect and he was barricaded in the residence. And unfortunately, just after 2 p.m., he started firing shots.
Those initial shots were fired at the CPD’s Bearcat, a law-enforcement armored vehicle.
Leer said officers returned fire.
“Throughout the afternoon and evening, at various times, he fired multiple shots at officers. We had two armored vehicles on scene that got shot up. Big thanks to all the agencies that came out to assist.”
One observer said, that at one point, when instructed to come out with his hands up, Linder stuck both hands out an opening made in the trailer by law enforcement, then began firing. “He stuck both hands out the hole in the side of the trailer and started shooting.”
Above and below, waiting to be allowed back in the area.
Leer said the Linder’s death was not the desired conclusion.
“We kept trying for a peaceful resolution,” he said. “We had communications going with the suspect off and on. Throughout the afternoon and evening we were communicating with the suspect. Unfortunately, he would just not cooperate as far as peacefully surrendering. It ended up in the unfortunate circumstance of him being deceased shortly before 7 p.m.”
The incident will be investigated by the Highway Patrol, he said.
“In that we had multiple officers involved as far as returning gunfire throughout the day and the Missouri Highway Patrol has been asked to investigate and is taking over the investigation due to the officer-involved shooting portion of it. They will be conducting that investigation.” The BCSO will also conduct an internal investigation.
For the complete article, see next week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard
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