SMITHVILLE — A man killed during an early Wednesday narcotics raid in Monroe County that wounded a sheriff’s deputy was a Smithville resident.
Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley identified the deceased as Ricky Keeton, 57.
Gurley said Keeton died of gunshot wounds, but said information about how many times Keeton was shot and where would not be released until an autopsy has been completed at the state Crime Lab in Pearl.
Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell told The Dispatch the raid on Keeton’s home began with a traffic stop around 9 p.m. Tuesday that uncovered a large quantity of crystal methamphetamine. Cantrell said the suspect told deputies who and where his source was and a search warrant was obtained for the home.
“When we got there the SWAT team went down to the house,” he said. “When they got to the back door, he opened the door and started shooting, wounded one of my deputies. The deputies shot back. Those were seasoned deputies who were on that SWAT team, and they had no choice but to shoot back.”
The deputy was shot in the leg and is expected to make a full recovery, Cantrell said. His name is not being released at this time, but the sheriff said he is a veteran deputy.
A Monroe County deputy was also shot and suffered non-life threatening injuries in August. Eric Sloan, a 15-year veteran, was shot along Highway 45 after pulling over a motorcycle.
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