Man who pleaded guilty in east Columbia shots-fired scene sentenced to six months in jail, five years probation
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A man who pleaded guilty in June to shooting a gun at a vehicle on March 20 in east Columbia was sentenced on Thursday.
Anthony Warren Jr., 20, pleaded guilty to shooting a gun at a motor vehicle and fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor.
He is being held at the Boone County Jail. He was sentenced to six months in the jail, with credit for time served along with five years of supervised probation, according to an email from Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Roger Johnson. Warren has 50 days remaining on his jail sentence, according to his attorney Dan Viets.
Court documents in previous reporting state that Warren allegedly fired five shots from a handgun in a subdivision in the 5400 block of Volunteer Drive.
Neighbors at the scene had told ABC 17 News in March that they heard shots ring out, as well as roughly 10 people yelling before two women started fighting. A Columbia Police Department spokesperson said at the time that one woman had injuries, but not from gunfire.
Neighbors claimed one woman was screaming at another woman, who was across the street, previous reporting states. One of the women was allegedly heard by neighbors saying “you need to get out of here” to a man. Residents claimed that man then got into a vehicle with a woman and drove away.
Johnson wrote that the state argued for a 15-year sentence.
“We are disappointed by the judge’s decision. Holding individuals accountable for gun violence is crucial to our mission to improve community safety. We believed this case warranted more serious consequences. However, in our justice system, when the parties cannot agree on sentencing, the judge makes the final decision. Our role as prosecutors is to follow and enforce the law, and this is part of that process,” Johnson wrote in the email.
Viets wrote in an email that he and Warren’s family are “pleased that he will not go to prison.”
“No one was hurt. Anthony has NO prior criminal history,” Viets wrote. “He has done lots of volunteer work in V A Suicide Prevention and working at the Senior Games.”
