Suspect Charged in Pettis County Shooting Incident, Two Deputies Injured

Two Pettis County Deputies were shot during a warrant service conducted early Friday morning, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control, which is investigating the incident.

At 5:44 a.m. Friday, the Pettis County Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) was executing a narcotics-related search warrant in the 27000 block of Route BB in the Longwood area.

The Deputies attempted to enter the home and were shot by the suspect, 62-year-old James Joseph Elsea. He reportedly fired four rounds as SERT members worked to cut open the door.

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One of the deputies returned fire but apparently missed the suspect. The deputies sustain non-life-threatening injuries. One was taken to Bothwell Regional Health Center and has since been released, while the other was transported to University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia.

Elsea has been charged with being a felon in possession of a fire arm. Elsea pleaded guilty of possession of a controlled substance in 2014. A mug shot of Elsea is not yet available.

Pettis County Sheriff Brad Anders shared his thoughts on Saturday morning on Facebook:

Yesterday was a rough one for our Pettis County Sheriff’s Office family. Multiple media outlets have informed you that two of our deputies were shot in the line of duty, and that they will recover.

 

As I am not able to share much of this ongoing investigation, I want to share the things that occurred starting mere minutes after my team took the suspect into custody.

 

These are the things I saw:

 

Knowing our agency was in bad shape to continue coverage for the county, deputies began to come on duty without being asked. The Sedalia Police Department immediately took over county-wide coverage, taking calls both inside the city limits and out.

 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol responded immediately to my request for assistance with the investigation and, not counting those already on scene during the incident, responded within minutes to provide support. Shortly thereafter, I sent a text to a ATF friend advising him of the situation. I called one of my friends to seek some advice. Then, about 15 minutes later, the flood gates opened.

 

Calls, messages, emails, and texts began to come in droves with each and every one of them offering prayers and support for our two injured deputies and agency as a whole. Governor Kehoe, MSHP Colonel Turner, DPS Director James, Congressman Alford, Representative Pollitt, Ron Doumitt from Answering the Call, and 16 sheriffs all either called directly or sent texts to check on the deputies and ask what we needed to navigate such a rough situation. The community came out in droves, similarly.

 

By noon the sheriff’s office was full of food donated by so many entities. Probation and Parole, Premier Realty Group, Jimmy Johns… the list goes on and I don’t know how much of it even showed up. By the time I got back to the office, it was just there along with so many supporters.

 

When I walked out of Bothwell Regional Health Center while checking on one of my deputies, I saw several SPD officers on the ramp to wish that deputy well. During my time at University Hospital, I saw a Columbia PD officer arrive to offer support. I saw hospital security bend over backwards to accomodate the influx of officers. I saw Columbia PDs FOP send over food for the 20+ deputies (the rest of the team… all of them, were there) and family members with the hospital donating snacks and drinks.

 

I saw the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office send peer support as did the University of Missouri Police Department. Encounter Baptist Church here in Sedalia sent one of their own to Columbia just to talk to deputies and family if need be. As I left the hospital, the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy called me to help guide me through what was occurring as they had been thrust in the same situation just 7 months ago.

 

Hearing the dreaded two words of, “officer down” over the radio makes a sheriff sick. Those words make every single officer in the city, county, and nation sick. The fear, frustration, anger, and so many other emotions is indescribable. You know that someone you love is hurt in a bad way, and a driving force begins to manifest within each of us. We want to get to them, triage what we can, and protect them. What I saw yesterday from my team embodies those emotions. I saw commitment. I saw courage. I saw strength. And I saw love. There are so many things that I saw that fosters hope for the future of the community.

 

The Pettis County Sheriff’s Office became stronger yesterday. We have become more united. We have been blessed by God, and we will not stop doing exactly what we are on this earth to do. I do not know how to thank you all for what you are doing, have done, or will continue to do, and there are so many deserving more than a simple thank you. I would ask that each of you continue to pray for physical and mental wellbeing of our deputies and all who have committed their lives to serving their communities.

 

What I saw yesterday was just a glimpse of a family far greater than I could have ever imagined. What this state and community has done is show me what it looks like when words of support are put into action. That, will never be forgotten.

A "Hero Procession" back to Sedalia for Deputies Mike DeHaven and Jacob Brown was held Sunday afternoon, followed by a welcome home gathering at the Pettis County Sheriff's Office.