Wild Footage Shows A Cop Performing A Pit Maneuver Nearly Gets Killed As The Suspect Fires A Shot Through His Window

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. – A homicide suspect wanted for allegedly shooting two people, killing one, led Missouri law enforcement on a harrowing high-speed chase along U.S. 63 before firing multiple rounds at a state trooper and ultimately taking his own life, authorities said.

Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) released dramatic dashcam and bodycam footage Monday showing the intense pursuit and the moment Corporal Brandon Harris executed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (PIT maneuver) to end the dangerous chase. The video captures bullets striking the passenger-side window of Harris' patrol vehicle inches from where his head would have been, highlighting the split-second risks faced by law enforcement officers every day.

The chaos began on May 7, 2026, when Boone County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a shooting northwest of Columbia on Douglas Drive. The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Steven A. Swanson of Columbia, allegedly shot two individuals, killing a 35-year-old man. Swanson then fled the scene, sparking a multi-agency pursuit involving Boone County deputies, Columbia police, and MSHP troopers.

During the chase on northbound U.S. 63, Swanson opened fire on pursuing officers. Footage shows multiple bullet holes in Corporal Harris' cruiser, including strikes perilously close to the driver's compartment. Miraculously, no officers were injured in the exchange.

Law enforcement deployed spike strips in an attempt to stop the vehicle before Harris performed the PIT maneuver near Route P/Route B (the Clark Exit), forcing Swanson's car into a ditch. When officers approached the wrecked vehicle, they discovered Swanson deceased inside from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"Corporal Harris and other law enforcement were unharmed during the shooting," officials confirmed. The MSHP is investigating the pursuit and the suspect's death, while the Boone County Sheriff's Office continues to handle the original homicide case.

The incident underscores the ongoing dangers confronting police officers in America as they confront violent criminals who show no regard for human life, including their own. Swanson's actions turned a local shooting response into a high-risk pursuit that could have ended in tragedy for the brave men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to protect the public.