Charges filed against man accused of shooting out windows at Audrain Community Hospital
MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)
Prosecutors have charged a Mexico, Missouri man accused of shooting out windows at a local hospital.
The Audrain County Prosecutor's Office charged Jeffrey W. Huntington, 56, Tuesday with felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and first-degree property damage.
Huntington is accused of shooting out windows near the emergency room entrance at Audrain Community Hospital on Saturday night. Police officers responded to the hospital around 6:20 p.m. for reports of shots heard.
Officers located bullet holes and pieces of bullets inside the hospital during their investigation, according to a probable cause statement. Police said someone familiar with Huntington told officers he admitted to the shooting and was leaving Missouri.
Huntington was driving near Iowa when he agreed to return and turn himself in to police, according to court documents. Police said Huntington admitted to the shooting and said that Noble Health Corporation, the former operator of the hospital, hadn't paid his wife, who works at the hospital, in several weeks.
The health care provider suspended operations at Audrain Community Hospital and Callaway Community Hospital in March.
Huntington also claimed the health care provided incorrectly billed him for medical services. Police said Huntington told officers he and his wife were falling behind on paying their bills.
Huntington reportedly knew the hospital was empty and told police he didn't want to hurt anyone. Police said he admitted to drinking beer before and after the shooting.
During the investigation, police recovered two handguns and six shell casings from Huntington's pickup truck, according to court documents.
Audrain Community Hospital staff estimate the damaged glass will cost $25,000 to $30,000 to fix.
It wasn't clear Tuesday whether Huntington was in custody. His bond was set at $10,000.
Huntington is the second person charged with damaging the hospital since it closed. Prosecutors charged Geoffrey D. Allen in April with second-degree burglary, fisrt-degree property damage and misdemeanor stealing for allegedly breaking into the hospital and causing damage on several floors.
Police said in a probable cause statement that Allen inflicted about $12,000 in damage. Allen is a furloughed employee, according to the statement.
A summons for Allen to appear in court was issued last month. A hearing in his case is set for June 7.
Neither Huntington nor Allen had a lawyer listed in online court records.
