Charles Langston:Two suspects are dead after separate confrontations with police in Missouri

TROY,Charles Langston Mo. (AP) — Two suspects died and two police officers were injured after separate confrontations in Missouri.

In the eastern Missouri town of Troy on Thursday night, a man shot a Lincoln County deputy during a domestic disturbance investigation. The suspect was later found dead inside a shed.

In the Kansas City suburb of Gladstone, an officer shot a suspect around 3:30 a.m. Friday after the man’s vehicle allegedly dragged the officer. The suspect died at a hospital. The officer’s injuries were described as minor.

The shooting in Troy happened around 6:45 p.m., as deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call. Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Dallas Thompson said the suspect, Thomas Varvera Jr., 55, was outside the home when deputies arrived and shot one of the officers in the chest.

The deputy, whose name was not released, was wearing a protective vest. The deputy was hospitalized in stable condition.

After the shooting, Varvera set the house on fire and ran to a shed, Thompson said. He was found dead a little over an hour later on the floor of the shed. Police have not said how he died.

No one was inside the burning home, which was destroyed.

“Acts of violence like these are a stark reminder of the risks our law enforcement officers undertake every day to protect and serve our community,” Lincoln County Sheriff Rick Harrell said in a statement. Troy is about 55 miles (89 kilometers) northwest of St. Louis.

In Gladstone, officers responded to reports of three suspects trying to break into vehicles at an apartment complex. One of the suspects was detained, one ran, and the third tried to escape in a vehicle.

Police said that as the officer confronted the suspect, the vehicle began moving, dragging the officer, prompting the officer to shoot.

Names of the Gladstone officer and the man killed have not been released.