Policeman slain after mix-up on address
NATIONAL CRIME
CLINTON, Mo. — A Missouri police officer who was shot and killed and two others who were wounded had been sent to the wrong house after a 911 call, authorities said Wednesday.
Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said no one spoke when the 911 call came in Tuesday night, but two women could be heard arguing in the background. For reasons that authorities still are trying to determine, the officers were sent to a different address in Clinton. The home that officers should have responded to was in Windsor, about 15 miles away.
The three Clinton officers went inside the wrong home to determine if criminal activity was occurring, and that’s when James Waters shot them, Lowe said. It’s not clear if Waters, 37, was living there.
Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, 30, an Army veteran, died. Officer Nathan Bettencourt was in stable condition Wednesday. Officer Nicholas Kasper was treated for gunshot wounds and released.
A SWAT team entered the house and found Waters dead. Investigators have not determined if he shot himself or was killed by the officers.
A woman at the home, Tammy Widger, 37, was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, Henry County Prosecuting Attorney Richard Shields said. It was not clear if the shooting was related to a drug crime, he said.
Records show Waters had convictions for drugs and resisting arrest and had served four stints in prison. He was facing charges firearm and drug possession charges at the time of his death.
Morton is the second Clinton officer in the past year to be killed. In August, Gary Michael was killed during a traffic stop.
Morton was a full-time officer from February 2015 through January 2017, when he temporarily became a reserve officer. He returned full time to replace Michael.