As I prepare this column, it is difficult to think about the tragic loss of life experienced by the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.
The events of Feb. 23, 2026 that stretched into the early morning hours of Feb. 24 will go down in history as one of the darker days for law enforcement in Missouri. Deputy Gabriel Ramirez was murdered during a traffic stop and Deputy Michael Hislope was also killed by the same suspect during the manhunt. Another Christian County deputy and a Webster County deputy were shot and seriously injured by the shooter.
Christian County may be several miles west of Texas County, but there are many local ties. Sheriff Brad Cole is a Houston native, Captain Rocky Seiner is a former highway patrol zone sergeant in Texas County and a former Texas County deputy went to work for Christian County in 2025.
There are people in our area that have reached out to me that knew Deputy Ramirez personally. The officers that were killed or injured are not just a photo and a badge number, they are people who cared about their community, their family, their friends and were willing to take a job with the benefit of making a difference in people’s lives.
I’ve had many conversations with fellow law enforcement officers over the years about why we do this job. There are certainly other occupations that pay as much or more without the risks that law enforcement faces, sometimes with little thanks, although I think we have great support here in southern Missouri. The central theme that most of those conversations went back to, was that if we don’t do this “job,” who will protect our families, our friends, our freedom and our values? Who will try to continue to make this a great place to live and have a family.
The answer becomes that we need good people that are willing to fight evil that want to make a difference in their community. We, as law enforcement, are not perfect. We make mistakes, we don’t solve every case and we are not always in the right place at the right time to stop something from happening. Law enforcement may not be perfect but 99% of the officers I have worked with have a heart for their community and want to make a positive difference.
In my 28 plus years of law enforcement, the three worst days of my career have been when two friends were killed in the line of duty, and when another ended his own life. My heart hurts for Sheriff Cole, Christian County and the family of the deputies killed and injured. I have been praying for those affected and will continue to do so. I invite you to join me in praying for them and for all of law enforcement every day.
The thin blue line runs strong from Texas County to Christian County. We pause to mourn the loss this week, but we will attempt to learn from this incident as well. I will be evaluating our resources, equipment and tactics to see if there is anything we can do to prevent future loss.