Arnold Police Officer In Stable Condition After Surgery

ARNOLD, MO — Ryan O'Connor, an Arnold police officer shot yesterday and badly injured, is in stable condition following a night of surgery, officials said. He was rushed to the hospital yesterday afternoon with a gunshot wound to the head after being shot by 29-year-old burglary suspect Chad L. Klahs. After shooting O'Connor, Klahs used his stolen gun to shoot himself.

Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak said O'Connor's injuries are very serious. O'Connor is 44 years old and has served with the Arnold Police Department for more than two years. He has been a law enforcement officer for two decades, having previously served with the St. Louis County Police Department.

Gregg Favre, deputy director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, wrote last night on twitter that he had just come from the hospital where O'Connor was undergoing surgery. "I've known this officer's family for more than a decade. Between law enforcement & the military they represent the epitome of service & sacrifice," he wrote. "It breaks my heart to see this young family reeling from this senseless violence."

O'Connor was transporting Klahs to the police station in connection with a burglary investigation, police said yesterday. The officer's SUV crashed near the station and police found both the officer and suspect shot when they went to investigate.

Police said Klahs' .40-caliber handgun was stolen from a home in Arnold earlier that day and was apparently missed in a search. Klahs was well-known to Arnold police and had been previously charged with the unlawful use of a weapon.

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