No charges will be filed in Jefferson City man’s shooting death
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The death of a Jefferson City man in a commercial parking lot will result in no charges against his shooter, the Cole County prosecuting attorney said Thursday.
Prosecutor Locke Thompson said in a news release that no charges will be filed against Spencer Scrivner for the Nov. 1 shooting death of Erik Spencer II outside Old Navy. Several shots were fired, and some shattered the plate glass in the storefront.
Scrivner, an employee of the Missouri Department of Corrections, was put on leave during the investigation.
Thompson said a grand jury declined to indict Scrivner for manslaughter, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. The grand jury found Scrivner's actions were done "in lawful defense of another," Thompson wrote in a news release.
Scrivner’s defense attorney, TJ Kirsch said the grand jury’s decision reflects what they believe truly happened that night.
"We appreciate the grand jurors and the time they put into their consideration. Since the day this occurred, there have been rumors and outright lies spread online and on social media in an attempt to misrepresent what actually happened. What actually happened is my client acted lawfully to defend someone in need.” Kirsch said.
Police records obtained by ABC 17 News show that officers were called to the area around 7:52 p.m. after a caller reported witnessing a man assaulting a woman. The caller and the dispatcher noted screaming coming from a vehicle. Within minutes, gunshots were reported, and by 8:02 p.m., emergency responders were performing CPR.
Jefferson City police repeatedly said that Scrivner was cooperating with the investigation.
ABC 17 News reached out to the Spencer family for comment but has not yet heard back. The Spencer family has called for transparency and criminal charges during multiple public appearances.
The Cole County Prosecutor’s Office is set to hold a press conference Friday at 9 a.m. at the Jefferson City Police Department.
