Lake Havasu City police shot and killed a man Wednesday when they encountered him during the search for a missing Prescott man.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office says 66-year-old Russell Vinton was reported missing after he didn’t return from a camping trip in Jacob Lake.
Deputies checked his campsite and found “suspicious” items that they say raised concerns about his welfare.
The next day, Lake Havasu City police located Vinton’s truck 300 miles away in an area known as Craggy Wash.
According to the sheriff's office, a person inside the truck fired at the deputies as they approached. They returned fire, killing 61-year-old Patrick Neal Champion of Tennessee.
The shooting is under investigation. CCSO says they're working with the Lake Havasu City and Bullhead City police departments to determine "the circumstances of what led up to this incident."
Vinton is still missing. He's 6 feet tall and about 170 pounds with brown hair and eyes. His white 2017 travel trailer with Arizona license plate 5LA50N is also unaccounted for.
Anyone with information should contact the Coconino County Sheriff's Office at 928-774-4523 or Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.