Suspect in weekend Columbia shooting had stolen gun, police say
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The man who allegedly fired shots early Sunday toward a vehicle in Downtown Columbia did so with a stolen gun, according to police.
Steven M. Harris, 45, of Columbia, was charged Monday with four felonies: unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action, illegal gun possession and stealing a gun, according to online court records.
Harris opened fire a little before 2 a.m. Sunday on Ninth Street near Walnut Street, police say. An officer parked nearby heard the gunshots and saw Harris running while shooting a handgun, according to a probable cause statement.
Harris dropped the 9 mm handgun when the officer ordered him to, the statement says.
A witness told police that a blue Chevrolet Tahoe hit Harris, leading to him chasing the vehicle and shooting at it, the statement says. Officers found several shell casings and damage to a building at 217 N. Ninth St.
Harris was taken to a hospital after the incident but was later booked into jail. He remained in the Boone County Jail without bond on Monday. Harris has a previous felony conviction for child abuse, according to court documents.
Bousso Drame and her friend, Imani Brooks are two freshmen at the University of Missouri this year who said Sunday's shooting didn't come as a complete shock to them, given recent shootings in the area. In November, three people were shot on East Broadway, leaving Downtown residents shaken up.
The two said they received a text message from the university the morning of the shooting, but weren't Downtown when it happened.
Brooks said when making her college decision, she didn't think she'd have to be quite as mindful when leaving her dorm.
"It just makes me more aware of the time I go out," Brooks said. "Like if there's something happening and it's at like 9 p.m. it definitely makes me me like double check to make sure you have like pepper spray, the mace and all that."
