YCSO: Armed and dangerous fugitive killed after suspect opened fire on deputies in Prescott Valley
(Yavapai County Sheriff's Office)
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - A fugitive wanted in an Arizona shooting incident and a parole violation in Oregon has been killed, authorities said Tuesday.
Yavapai County Sheriff’s officials said 42-year-old Edward Kayer was fatally shot by deputies on March 22 at around 10:30 p.m. following a pursuit in Prescott Valley.
Kayer, of Carefree, was wanted by Sedona police for allegedly firing more than a dozen shots outside a restaurant on Feb. 27 after an argument.
Edward L. Kayer (file photo from May of 2017) (Yavapai County Sheriff's Office)
Nobody was injured, but Kayer had fled the scene by the time authorities arrived.
Sedona police received a tip Monday afternoon that Kayer was in Prescott Valley and he was spotted on a motorcycle at around 2:15 p.m.
Prescott Valley police said Kayer refused to pull over and dumped his motorcycle so he could flee. PVPD officers, YCSO deputies, and an Arizona Department of Public Safety's Ranger helicopter crew searched the nearby Legend Hills Community and surrounding area to find Kayer.
"A Code Red emergency notification message was sent out to neighbors in the area letting them know an armed and dangerous suspect was in the area, along with a description of the suspect. YCSO received several calls from concerned citizens with tips on Kayer’s location," stated YCSO's Dwight D'Evelyn.
"We can’t thank the public enough for their help during the search for Kayer. Not only did we get numerous reports on his general location, but we also received information that Kayer made statements that he was armed and would fire at law enforcement if they approached because he didn’t want to go back to prison," said Sheriff David Rhodes, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 10 p.m., YCSO says after receiving a final tip from the public, Kayer was found hiding in a field in the area off Antelope Meadows Road near Dogtown Road in the Antelope Meadows Community.
D'Evelyn said, "As deputies began their search, Kayer fired multiple shots at deputies, striking a patrol car."
After the deputies took cover, the DPS helicopter shined a spotlight on Kayer, and the deputies returned fire.
(Yavapai County Sheriff's Office)
"The area that the shooting took place was in an open field. It was extremely dark and our deputies were exposed, having to take cover immediately while trying to determine where the shots came from," said Sheriff David Rhodes. "Without the aerial support from the DPS Ranger that located the suspect and put a spotlight on Kayer, our deputies could have been seriously hurt or even killed. We are grateful for their help and so thankful our deputies weren’t injured by the suspect."
Authorities said Kayer was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kayer was convicted of manslaughter in Oregon and served a 15-year prison sentence.
He was prohibited from possessing a gun and was wanted for a parole violation in connection to the manslaughter case, authorities said.
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