Prosecutor files charges after weekend shooting in downtown Columbia
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Boone County Prosecutor's Office filed charges Monday in connection with a weekend shooting in downtown Columbia that hurt one person.
Prosecutors charged Victor Leonardo Arriaga, 20, of Jefferson City with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.
Columbia police arrested Arriaga after the shooting that took place around 1:45 a.m. Sunday near Ninth and Cherry Streets. According to a probable cause statement, officers responded to a fight involving a group of people.
One of the officers went to the hospital after learning a shooting victim arrived there in a personal vehicle. The officer spoke to several people at the hospital, one of whom was Arriaga.
Court documents said Arriaga "began spontaneously saying 'it was all in self defense, man' when an officer detained him. Arriaga's jersey had blood on it, according to the probable cause statement.
Officers who responded to the scene downtown said they found a live round and a jacket with a bullet hole in it.
According to the probable cause statement, security footage from a nearby business showed Arriaga walking with a group of people. One person walked behind Arriaga with their arms around him, forcing Arriaga to walk with them.
Minutes later, the footage shows a fight break out involving multiple people including Arriaga and the man who had his arms around him. The footage shows people pushing and shoving each other before Arriaga pulled out a gun and pointed it at another person. Someone then pushed Arriaga out of the view of the camera.
As of Sunday, police said the victim was stable.
Online court records show Arriaga appeared by video for an initial arraignment Monday afternoon. The judge ordered a bond investigation and scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 19.
Police also arrested Israel Ortiz, 20, of Jefferson City for peace disturbance. As of Monday afternoon, prosecutors have not filed charges against Ortiz.
