Officer honored for valor during Jackson shootout

A Missouri State Highway Patrol officer has been honored for his efforts to protect the public during a shootout last year in Jackson.

Sgt. Shawn Price, who has been with the patrol since 1997, received the agency's 2012 Valor Award for his actions in a June 13 shooting involving a man accused of trying to kill his wife and several police officers.

Lawrence Guthrie is accused of physically assaulting his estranged wife, Angel, and exchanging gunfire with police.

Price was responding to a call about an active shooter in Guthrie's Jackson neighborhood when the gunman, hiding in a tree line, fired at him several times.

Price retreated between two houses. A resident arrived in a vehicle and told Price his son was inside one of the houses.

"That changes the whole game plan really quickly," Price said. "You've got a gunman in the tree line behind the house. You've got a small child unattended in the house."

Price sent the man and his son to a basement while he went to a back bedroom to watch from a window. Price saw gun smoke coming from the tree line, realized the shooter likely was firing at other officers, and shot at him through the window.

Another officer fired a shotgun at the suspect, who was arrested after an unsuccessful attempt to apparently commit suicide by shooting himself in the head, Price said.

Capt. Tim Hull, director of the patrol's public information and education division, said Price acted quickly and decisively to protect bystanders.

Price said his colleagues also deserve praise.

"There were a lot of officers that responded that day, and I was just part of the response that was able to help end the situation," he said.

Price said the situation unfolded rapidly.

"Another police officer would understand, or a soldier would understand it, but it's kind of hard to explain what it's like to be there," Price said. "It's a lot of emotion, I guess; a lot of energy. It happens really quickly, and you just hope you do the right things at the right times."

Guthrie appeared Monday in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court. His appearance was disheveled, his face covered with stubble and his jaw swollen and misshapen. The left side of his mouth drooped open, and he dabbed at it with a cloth as he waited for his case to be called -- the effects of the wound he suffered in shooting himself.

Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis sustained a motion for additional evaluation and passed the case to June 24.

Guthrie's wife testified in August that Guthrie, a military veteran, was undergoing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

epriddy@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

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