Columbia man facing assault charge for May shooting

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County prosecutors filed new charges against a man in jail tied to a May shooting.

Daniel Ayers, 18, is now charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon for an alleged shooting that took place on May 21. Ayers was arrested by Columbia police in the 500 block of Scott Boulevard later that day on an unrelated case, and has been in the Boone County Jail since.

A probable cause statement said officers found a home shot at in the 3500 block of Zinnia Drive on May 21. Witnesses told police that they believed a Chevy Impala was involved in the shooting.

Officers linked Ayers to the shooting using pictures and texts found on his cell phone that the department took the day of his arrest. Three pictures, according to the statement, were of the home on Zinnia Drive taken an hour before the shooting was reported. A text on the phone allegedly said "We got a hellkat and a impala." The statement doesn't specify if Ayers sent that message or if he received it from someone else.

Police said that Ayers declined to speak with police about the shooting when asked on July 2.

Ayers currently faces charges of burglary, resisting arrest and tampering with electronic monitoring equipment.