The search for Floyd Ray Cook ended Friday morning around 12:21 a.m. when he was shot and killed by law enforcement officers.

According to Kentucky State Police Public Relations Officer Billy Gregory, KSP Post 15 received communication from units at the search site that shots had been fired. Cook had a handgun and gunfire was exchanged when two KSP Troopers and one U.S. Marshall encountered Cook.

Cook was wounded and pronounced dead at the scene by Cumberland County Coroner Gary White.

No officers were injured during the fire-fight.

A chance spotting of Cook by a Clinton County resident might have helped law enforcement better pin point the fugitive’s exact location just prior to that final confrontation.

Clinton County resident Susie Cross, wife of Richard Cross, said she had gone to her mother’s (Grace Watson) house, Thursday afternoon because Cook was spotted in the area.

“I drove all the way from Somerset to get my mom,” Cross said. “By the time I got there, police were everywhere.”

Police officers told Cross Cook had been seen in the vicinity around 4:30 Thursday afternoon.

“We told the KSP we wanted to get my mom out of her house and either take her back to Clinton County or to my brother’s (Danny Watson) house just up the road,” Cross said “There were lights everywhere, so I stayed to watch the news and waited it out.”

Cross said around 10:30 they called off the search in order for the helicopter to refuel.

At that time, Cross decided she would travel back to her home in Clinton County. Her brother Danny walked her to her vehicle and when she hit the unlock button on her key fob, her headlights came on and she saw Cook standing near a shed on her brother’s property.

“The security light came on when we walked out and when I hit the unlock button on my car I saw him standing next to a cedar post in the shed and he didn’t move a muscle,” Cross said.

Cross said she started screaming and yelling “Oh my God it’s him,” and immediately ran back to the house.

“I was hysterical. I didn’t know if he was behind me chasing me or what,” Cross said. “My brother told him to identify himself and he told me all the guy said was ‘I mean you no harm … I just want a drink of water.’”

Cross said the police heard her screaming and within minutes were on the property.

“It seemed like 10 minutes or more, but it was probably only a couple of minutes until they got there,” Cross said. “Around midnight we heard gun shots, 10 to 12 of them. About 20 minutes later the police came to the house and told us he had been shot and killed. It was a very traumatic experience. I was just going over there to get my mom.”

Once the police came to the house Cross was in, Cross asked if Cook had a gun on him.

“They said he did and he fired about six shots at them,” Cross said. “He could have easily shot both me and my brother or took us hostage in order to get away. I hope I never have to feel that way again. Just the unknown … not knowing what he was going to do.”

The search for Cook has been ongoing since Cook shot an Algood Police officer last week.

Cook had been involved in three separate shoot-outs during the course of the past week with the last shoot-out ending in his death.

Cook was 62 years old and from Lebanon Kentucky.

Last week, after shooting an Algood Police officer on Saturday, he fled to Burkesville, KY and was spotted by a KSP Trooper. That sighting led to a high-speed chase and a fire-fight after Cook fled down Franklin Spears Road in Burkesville. Cook wasn’t spotted again by law enforcement officers until Friday morning when he was killed.

During the course of the search for Cook, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office in Bowling Green got involved and led to multiple leads and increased the search to statewide.

It was believed Cook was with Troy E. Wayne, 50, of Raywick, KY.

Clinton County Sheriff Jim Guffey and Deputy Rodney Shelton were called to assist in the search.

Guffey said he received the call around 2:30 Thursday afternoon and was asked to help with the search.

“He was spotted walking along the road beside a BBQ restaurant on Hwy. 61,” Guffey said. “We were asked to set up a perimeter and help keep Cook in the area.”

Guffey said keeping communication across county and state lines is very important in certain situations.

“We were waiting on scent dogs and helicopters,” Guffey said. “It absolutely helps. I think with us being down there and holding the perimeter that it helped contain him in the area he was at and helped end the situation.”

Guffey said once the helicopters arrived and the perimeter was secure, he and Shelton made their way back to Albany around 10:30 p.m. Thursday night. Guffey said he received a call that had confirmed Cook had been shot some two hours later.

Cook, who was on parole after serving time for raping a 19-year-old in Kentucky in 1971, according to the Associated Press, was wanted after being indicted for trafficking methamphetamine and for failure to register as a sex offender. Cook had several other convictions, including robbery, assault and escape in the 1980s, according to public records.

Trooper Gregory told ABC News that the outcome was regrettable, however, KSP is glad it’s over and they got an armed and dangerous man off the streets.

Cumberland County reopened schools on Wednesday after having cancelled classes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when it was believed Cook was a threat to the area.

Now that the situation is resolved and the search for Cook is over, citizens of Cumberland County can now get back to their normal everyday lives.