Columbia shooting suspect has lengthy criminal history

Columbia police have one suspect in custody after Wednesday’s shooting in the northern section of the city.

Officers say they are planning to make more arrests in the shooting that sent one man to the hospital.

That victim, 23-year-old Coty Galbreath, is also charged in the shooting and has a lengthy criminal history.

Galbreath is charged with armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and a felon in possession of a weapon.

Galbreath’s criminal history includes several shootings in the last few years.

He was only 17 when he was charged in his first shooting on Grand Avenue in November 2007. No one was hurt in that incident.

Just four hours later, he shot another teenager twice on West Ash Street, police said. He was sentenced to supervised probation for those crimes.

Then one year after those shootings, police arrested him for injuring a 16-year-old in a drive-by shooting in December 2008.

ABC 17 News learned that both teens he shot were sent to the hospital and Galbreath had previous fights with them before shooting them.

Even prior to the shooting, Galbreath pleaded guilty to burglary and stealing a firearm.

In early 2009, He was sentenced to ten years in prison for the shootings, but according to court records, it appears he only served about three-and-a-half years.

Records show he was released nine months ago, but it’s unclear why he was released early.

ABC 17 News tried to contact the Missouri Department of Corrections to find out why he was released, but phone calls have not yet been returned.

This also isn’t the first time Galbreath was arrested since he was released from prison last year. The Boone County Sheriff’s Department arrested him in February for domestic assault and he was set to go on trial for that case next month.

Galbreath remains in the Boone County Jail on a $159,000 bond.