Father of suspect says he tried to get son to surrender to CPD during fatal encounter

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The father of a man who died after exchanging gunfire with Columbia police said Friday that he tried to get his son to surrender to officers during the standoff.

An autopsy is set for early next week on the body of Curtis Haas, 34, who was found dead inside a house after exchanging gunfire with police Thursday in south Columbia.

Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones at a news conference Friday identified Haas. Jones said police were trying to arrest Haas on suspicion of first-degree child molestation.

Haas' father told ABC 17 News later Friday at his son's 1707 Sun Court home that he did not have any knowledge about the allegations against his son.

Jones in the news conference gave a chronological rundown of the events that led to officers finding Haas dead inside a house.

Officers arrived in the 1700 block of Sun Court around 5:30 p.m. Thursday when they saw Haas trying to leave in a vehicle and tried to stop him, Jones said.

According to police, Haas drove the vehicle into the garage of a nearby home.

ABC 17 News crews spoke with a neighbor who had video from the exchange. One video showed Haas in a truck quickly reversing away from the police.

Police said after he drove the vehicle into the garage Haas pointed a handgun at an officer. He then barricaded himself inside the home.

Haas' father said his son called him and told his father police were pointing their guns at him. His father said he told Haas to go outside of the home with his hands up.

Officers then requested help from the SWAT and crisis negotiation teams. Shortly before 6 p.m. officers began evacuating nearby homes in the cul de sac and notified nearby churches.

Haas shot at officers shortly after 6 p.m., Jones said.

"Shots fired exchanged between the suspect from the upstairs window and the officers located outside of the house," Jones said.

Haas' neighbor, who asked to not be identified because of the ongoing investigation, also showed a reporter a video with what sounded like six gunshots. She said she could hear Haas yelling for help from inside the home, but officers told him to come outside for assistance.

Jones said after shots were fired officers were still attempting to make contact with Haas by phone and a PA system.

Officers breached the garage door of the home with an armored vehicle but were not able to get a robot into the home through the garage, Jones said. Officers were able to get a drone inside of the home.

"When the drone went inside there was only a partial view and all we could see was lower extremities and we could not determine life status," Jones said.

Members of the SWAT team busted through the front door of the home and sent a robot upstairs, where Haas had barricaded himself, Jones said. The SWAT team then entered the home and medics confirmed Haas was dead, he said.

"It's really important to note that guns were staged all throughout the residence and furniture was barricaded against the door. It was clear that he was preparing for this," Jones said.

Jones said an autopsy would be performed early next week to determine Haas' cause of death.

The case has been turned over to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Columbia Police Department Internal Affairs. The investigation is ongoing.

Three officers who were involved in the exchange of gunfire have been placed on administrative leave, which Jones said is CPD protocol.

Police dispatching records showed officers were called to the address at about 1 p.m. to help another agency. CPD spokespeople did not respond to a request for information about the call Friday afternoon.

Haas was a 2004 graduate of Rock Bridge High School and was married.

Check back for more on this developing story.