Arnold Police Officer Ryan O’Connor, who was shot in the head by a suspect Tuesday afternoon, is in critical, but stable condition today (Dec. 6), authorities reported.
“At this point, the medical staff has relayed to the family that Officer O’Connor has a long road to recovery, and his condition could change by the hour,” according to a written statement the St. Louis County Police Department issued today on behalf of the Arnold Police Department.
Authorities also reported that a Shield of Hope, a nonprofit organization, has set up a GoFundMe account to benefit O’Connor’s family, which includes a wife and four young children. Organizers hope to raise $50,000, and as of about 5 p.m. today, $17,645 had been raised. Donations may be made online at gofundme.com/support-arnold-po-ryan-oconnor.
An account to benefit the family also has been set up at Fortune Bank, 3494 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold, and donations may be made there. For more information, call the bank at 636-464-9003.
In addition, the Backstoppers police and firefighter support organization has announced it has donated $5,000 to the family.
O’Connor, 44, was shot while transporting burglary suspect Chad Klahs, 29, to the Arnold Police Station after Klahs had been arrested. Klahs, who also was shot, later died.
The incident began when a call came in to Arnold Police about a burglary in the 1800 block of Fox Pointe Drive in Arnold. The suspect fled into nearby woods and officers reported hearing shots from the woods at 12:58 p.m., Sheriff’s Office Capt. Gary Higginbotham said.
The suspect was eventually caught at Zingers Mart gas station, 1502 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold, and a weapon was found on him and confiscated. However, the suspect apparently had a second weapon on him not found during the arrest, which he allegedly used to shoot O’Connor, Higginbotham said.
The shooting happened on the Arnold Police Department parking lot inside a police SUV O’Connor was driving, and after the shooting, the vehicle crashed into a fence and propane tank, Higginbotham said.
He said the shooting is under investigation but that the suspect “may have shot the officer, then himself.”
That weapon Klahs allegedly used to shoot O’Connor was found in the back of the police SUV, Higginbotham said.
The weapon officers confiscated from Klahs when he was first arrested and other items had been stolen in the burglary earlier that day, Higginbotham said.
He said Arnold Police alerted other law enforcement agencies about “an officer down” at about 1:35 p.m.
O’Connor was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in south St. Louis County, where he underwent surgery.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has taken over the investigation.