Columbia shooting suspect backs off attempt to change plea

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man backed off an attempt to change his plea in a shooting case on Tuesday and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Steven M. Harris pleaded guilty in January to unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and stealing a gun in a March 2025 shooting near Ninth and Walnut streets in downtown Columbia. Harris tried to retract his plea in February, but dropped that effort on Tuesday, according to court records.

According to court documents, a blue Chevrolet Tahoe hit Harris, leading him to run after the vehicle and fire a gun, which had been stolen. Officers reportedly found several shell casings and wrote in court documents that Harris dropped the gun when instructed by police.

Judge Stephanie Morrell sentenced Harris to 15 years in prison for unlawful use of a weapon and 10 years for having a stolen gun. Those sentences are concurrent and will run consecutively to a 10-year sentence for armed criminal action, for a total term of 25 years.