Man killed in deputy-involved shooting outside the Christian County courthouse has been identified

OZARK, Mo. (KY3) - The Christian County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal deputy-involved shooting that occurred Friday evening.

Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole has identified the man shot and killed by the deputy as 52-year-old Travis L. Bullington of Sparta.

Sheriff Cole said the shooting happened on the square in Ozark around 4 p.m. outside the Christian County Justice Center. Sheriff Cole says Bullington was seen on top of the woman in a physical altercation, that’s when deputies went to intervene, and he pulled out a gun and shot her, and a deputy then shot Bullington.

Bullington died at the hospital, and the woman is currently in critical condition. The deputy was not injured.

People living and working in the area say they no longer know when or if they can feel safe on the square.

”Am I going to feel safe being down here in the evenings,” said Ozark business owner Christine Dix-Vandiford. Am I going to be safe, you know, if I’m down here by myself? I don’t know what yet. You know, I’m sorry for what happened to the young lady, and really, it’s the baby who is going to be affected all the way around.”

Sheriff Cole says there was a 17-month-old child involved in the incident. That child was not injured and has been placed in a safe home with the help of the Missouri Children’s Division.

Some, like Dix-Vandiford, say they’re fearful. Other business owners, like Spencer Wade, say there’s nothing to fear.

“It’s because God tells us not to fear, we pray, we have faith in him and everything,” said Wade. “So we know that we’re covered and protected by God. And so we just don’t have that fear. Because we know that we’re okay.”

We will provide more information as it becomes available.

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