Fizer Family Seeks Answers After Pettis County Deputy Kills Woman

The father of a Missouri woman who was fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy during a weekend traffic stop says he doubts officials' reports that she threatened to shoot the deputy.

25-year-old Hannah Renee Fizer was killed Saturday night in Sedalia on the west side of Asian Buffet near Highway 50 & Winchester.

Her father, John Fizer, said Monday that his daughter never had a gun and supported law enforcement. He questioned why the deputy didn't simply use his taser to subdue his daughter, rather than use lethal force.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Hannah Fizer told the deputy she was going to shoot him, but it’s unclear if she had a weapon because her car hadn't been searched yet.

The shooting comes amid increased scrutiny of officer-involved killings since the death of George Floyd, who was black. Fizer and the deputy are white.

Fizer was reportedly on her way to work at Eagle Stop when the traffic stop and fatal shooting occurred around 10 p.m. Saturday night.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating after being requested by the Pettis County Sheriff's Office. The deputy in question is reportedly on administrative leave and has been with the department since 2007.

The deputy was reportedly not wearing a body cam. It was not clear whether there is dash cam footage available.

A search of Fizer's vehicle by investigators on Tuesday yielded no gun, according to Patrol spokesman Bill Lowe.

The Fizer family has hired an attorney.