Chase Hoofman, 20, of Festus has been charged following the investigation of a June 23 shooting at the Cedar Hill River Access in which he was shot.
Hoofman is charged with two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. He was arrested Tuesday evening, July 7, and as of today, he was being held at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro without bond.
According to a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office statement, no charges are being considered against the person who shot Hoofman.
According to the probable-cause statement filed in the case, deputies responded to a shooting at the river access on June 23. Hoofman had fled from the park into the woods and was later seen coming out of the woods with a gunshot wound and “extremely intoxicated,” the report said.
Officers questioned the other people involved in the incident who left the scene before police got there.
A witness told police that Hoofman, who was intoxicated, approached them and was talking about a “prior robbery incident” between a friend of Hoofman and a member of the group, and then he pointed a gun at them, the report said.
The witness told officers Hoofman pointed the gun at a person who was holding a cellphone and calling 911 because Hoofman thought that person’s phone was a gun. The witness said Hoofman fired two shots into the ground near the group, and the witness and two other people displayed their firearms to warn Hoofman to leave, the report said.
The witness said Hoofman continued to display his gun in a threatening manner, and the two other people fired warning shots at the ground. The witness said he fired his gun at Hoofman after Hoofman raised his gun and pointed it at the group, which included two children. Hoofman then ran from the scene, the report said.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Hoofman was transported to a hospital where he was treated and released.
Hoofman allegedly told police he discharged his weapon at two people in self-defense.
“This was a complex investigation that took time, resources and patience,” the statement from the Sheriff’s Office said. “The Sheriff’s Office commends the work of investigators and thanks the members of Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Trisha Stefanski’s office for their efforts to seek charges.”