PO Lane Burns

Officer: Bonne Terre Police Department, Police Officer Lane Burns

Date: 3/17/2022          Location: Bon Terre, MO      FACTORS (1,7,15,19)

Perpetrator(s) Involved: James J. Emery

Criminal Activity History/Involved: Emery’s criminal history appears to only involve a misdemeanor at a conservation area. / Emery was involved in a disturbance.

Mental Illness: None stated.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / None stated.

Race/Sex/Age: Unknown/Male/31

What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At around 12:30 a.m. on March 17, 2022, Bonne Terre Police Officer Lane Burns and Cpl. Garrett Worley responded to a 911 call of a disturbance at an area motel.

Actions taken by subject toward police: As the officers approached the room where the disturbance was reported to be occurring, James Emery came out from it, shooting them both with a handgun.

Reactions by the police: Despite being seriously injured, the officers returned fire and killed Emery. Officer Lane was transported to a hospital where he was declared dead soon after and Cpl. Worley was treated for a gunshot wound to his leg.

How murdered? PO Lane was ambushed and fatally shot while handling a 911 call of a disturbance..

What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? NA, the officers were ambushed while investigating a disturbance, and they responded with justified deadly force as soon as they encountered a deadly threat.

Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? The officers were justified to use deadly force as soon as they saw a man exiting the motel room with what appeared to be a gun in his hands.

Outcome for the cop-killer: Emery was justifiably shot dead by the officers.

Miscellaneous: There is remarkably scant reporting on Emery given that he is a cop-killer.