Anderson died as a Greene County sheriff’s deputy and a U.S. deputy marshal tried to pull over a pickup in which Anderson was riding with two other people. The officers say Anderson fired a shot and they returned fire.

The shootout was just after 5 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Division Street at Frisco Avenue in Springfield, north of Drury University. Anderson was wanted on suspicion of firing at the police officers in Bolivar and for a suspected violation of his parole after being convicted of stealing.

Bolivar police got an anonymous tip on Nov. 17 warning them that Anderson was armed and dangerous and had told friends he would not be taken alive. About 3 a.m. Monday, a Bolivar officer tried to stop Anderson for a traffic violation. Anderson sped away with his girlfriend, Shay Wilson, alongside.

"The cops tried to pull us over and he took off, parked in the driveway, told me he loved me and he had to run. After he ran, I heard four gunshots," Wilson said on Wednesday, forcing back the tears.

Bolivar Police Chief Michael Seibert now says he knows those shots were aimed at two Bolivar police officers. It all unfolded outside Lindy Mitchell's window. Mitchell lives next to the driveway where Anderson parked the stolen vehicle with Wilson inside.

"I was freaking out, thinking all the police cars and what's going on,” said Mitchell. "I looked out the blind, out that window, and there was a black car that had backed in to there."

Seibert says Anderson ran a stop sign and then took off to evade the officer. At the time, the officer didn't know who the driver was. About 15 or 20 minutes later, the two officers came across the car again. No one was in it but it turned out to be a car stolen in Springfield, and there was a cellular telephone in it that traced back to Anderson. While they were looking at the stolen car, they heard the four shots.

"She (Wilson) identified the driver as Lance Anderson,” said Seibert.

Wilson knew Anderson was wanted for violating his parole, among several other offenses. Anderson's name also rang a bell with police.

"We're grateful we got that information so my officers knew to be on the lookout,” said Seibert.

Seibert got word via text that Anderson was headed to Springfield. He alerted the Greene County Sheriff’s Department.

That led to the attempt to stop the pickup on Tuesday afternoon, and then the shootout. It was not the ending for which his girlfriend hoped but one she feared would happen.

Anderson was the father of three children.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott had not released any information about who killed Anderson -- the Greene County deputy, the U.S. deputy marshal or Anderson himself. An autopsy was scheduled for that afternoon. For now, the officers involved are on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol in these type of situations, pending the end of the investigation.
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Edited news release on Wednesday morning from Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott:

SPRINGFIELD -- On Tuesday, Greene County Sheriff’s Department detectives and the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force received information about the location of a man suspected of shooting at a Bolivar police officer early Monday. The suspect also had other felony arrest warrants.

At 5:06 p.m., officers spotted the vehicle that he was purported to be in, and tried to stop it at the intersection of Division Street at Frisco Avenue. As the deputy marshal and Greene County detective approached, the wanted man emerged from the vehicle with a handgun. He fired at least one shot, and the detective and deputy marshal returned fire.

The suspect died at the scene. No law enforcement officers were injured. The man was Lance Anderson, 23, a resident of Bolivar for the past three months. He previously lived in Springfield and Nixa. In addition to being wanted for the attempted shooting of the Bolivar police officer, Anderson had a warrant for a suspected probation violation after being convicted of stealing.

The Greene County Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield Police Department are investigating the shooting. Per the normal protocol, the involved officers are on paid leave pending the completion of the investigation and administrative review of the incident.

The Greene County medical examiner scheduled an autopsy at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The sheriff will release further information as it becomes available.