Deputy kills Poplar Bluff man during confrontation

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff man was shot and killed Tuesday evening after allegedly brandishing a weapon at a sheriff's deputy who had responded to a domestic-dispute call.

Butler County Coroner Andy Moore identified the dead man as Steve Scott, 48.

Just before 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, the Butler County Sheriff's Department received a call about a "domestic situation where weapons were involved" at a residence on Rice Road off Route NN, Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs said.

Before chief deputy Wesley Popp arrived at the home, "he was made aware of the fact that a male subject, and the husband in this case, was on his way back to the residence and had made threats to the wife to do her serious physical harm," Dobbs said.

Scott told his wife she had "better not be here when he came" back, Dobbs said.

Within a short time of Popp's arrival, Scott parked his pickup truck in the driveway a short distance behind Popp's patrol car, Dobbs said.

"Chief Deputy Popp began trying to de-escalate the situation and talk to the individual, who was in a very agitated and belligerent state," Dobbs said.

The man was seated in his truck at the time, the sheriff said.

"Despite his best efforts to de-escalate the situation and calm the individual down, he would not cooperate or get out of the vehicle to talk," Dobbs said. "Instead, he retrieved a pistol from inside his vehicle while simultaneously continuing to curse the officer."

Dobbs said at some point, Popp fired his gun at the man after he "brandished the gun in a threatening manner."

"There is no doubt in my mind that deputy Popp felt threatened for his life," Dobbs said.

After the scene was secured, Dobbs said he requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate.

At the time of the shooting, Scott's wife was inside the home, Dobbs said.

"It's heartbreaking all the way around," Dobbs said. "I know the family; they're good people. Obviously, I know it's a very traumatic situation for them, and it's very traumatic for Wes as well. It's just one of those situations you wish just never would happen."

Popp, a 13-year veteran with the department, will be on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, Dobbs said.

"Deputy Popp is someone who I have always known to make good decisions in the position he's in," Dobbs said. "At this point, it appears that he acted in step with his training and also followed protocol."

An autopsy of Scott's body was scheduled to be performed by Dr. Russell Deidiker at a Farmington, Missouri, hospital.