Armed robbery suspect shot after confrontation with CPD

University of Missouri Maneater

A suspect in an armed robbery was killed after a confrontation with Columbia Police in Hitt Street Parking Garage on Wednesday night, according to MU officials.

The suspect is believed to be Mark Adair, a registered sex offender with a warrant out for his arrest after absconding parole.

Officers were dispatched to Mosers Foods at 5:35 p.m. in response to an armed robbery call, according to a Columbia Police Department news release.

Police were later told that Adair was seen near Rose Music Hall, formerly MoJo's. They identified the car he had stolen and determined he was on foot.

An MU Police Department Officer first confronted Adair in Hitt Street Parking Garage. The officer, who has not been named, is at University Hospital with non fatal injuries, Capt. Brian Weimer said. The officer was released from the hospital Thursday morning.

Weimer said a tip of the officer's finger was hurt in the exchange.

Adair was shot and killed during the incident.

A CPD officer arrived on the scene shortly after.

Deputy Chief of Police Jill Schlunde said CPD is fairly certain the deceased is Adair, but they will run fingerprint scans later to double check.

"We are 95 percent sure the deceased is Adair based on physical characteristics," she said.

The scene is being processed and the incident is being investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Schlunde said CPD and MUPD were working together to find Adair once they heard he was seen near MoJo's. CPD used social media and witnesses to determine Adair's movements.

CPD tweeted they were searching for Adair in the downtown area at 11:40 p.m. An MU Alert was sent out at 12:28 a.m.

Weimer said there was an Alert ready to go out to students if he stepped foot on campus, but an officer engaged the suspect as soon as Adair entered campus.

MU Spokesman Christian Basi was at the scene, but did not speak during the news briefing.

Adair is believed to have hid in a woman’s car and threatened her with a gun. The woman was able to escape the vehicle, with the suspect fleeing on foot. MUPD was called to assist CPD in the search, according to officials.

Hitt Street Parking Garage and surrounding areas will be closed off for several hours, according to CPD.