Man charged after ‘accidental’ shooting injures victim in Mexico

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was charged in Audrain County on Monday after he allegedly shot someone on Saturday while he was drunk.

Christopher Smith Jr., of Mexico, Missouri, was charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and three misdemeanors, including two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of a minor being intoxicated.

He is being held at the Audrain County Jail without bond. A hearing was held on Wednesday, where Smith pleaded not guilty. A bond review is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4.

The probable cause statement says law enforcement was called around 6 a.m. Saturday to an apartment building for an alleged accidental shooting.

Smith allegedly told police that his handgun went off while he was cleaning it and that the victim was sitting on the flood in front of him, the statement says. Police determined that was not true and Smith eventually admitted to the gun going off while he was handling it, the statement says.

Police wrote that multiple people were in the residence at the time the gun went off. The officer also wrote that Smith appeared to be drunk and high and that his blood alcohol concentration was .223.