Kentucky state trooper shot to death

A state trooper was shot and killed Sunday, September 13 around 11:30 pm. The shooting took place on I-24 in Lyon County, Kentucky. The deceased officer has been identified as Joseph Cameron Ponder, 31. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time after arriving.

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According to officials, Ponder pulled a vehicle over in a traffic stop. The car then sped off with the trooper began a high speed pursuit. While the chase was underway, the suspect fired multiple shots; many of which hit the trooper and his cruiser. The suspect then abandoned his vehicle in the median of I-24 and fled on foot. The suspect has been identified as Joseph Thomas Johnson Shanks, 25 of Missouri. He is described as a black male, 5’ 5” tall and weighing 140 lbs. He has brown eyes, black hair and was wearing dark clothes when last seen. Wade White, the Lyon County Judge Executive wrote a Facebook post advising people to keep their doors and windows locked and to call 911 if they see anything suspicious. He also said there may be others with Johnson-Shanks and all of them should be considered armed and dangerous. The search continues for the suspect and portions of the highway have been closed down.