The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is seeking felony charges against a 25-year-old St. Louis man following a reported shooting outside the Walmart store, 2700 Ridge Point Drive, in High Ridge on Monday, Feb. 19. No one was hurt during the incident, authorities reported.
The Sheriff's Office will seek first-degree domestic assault and destruction of property charges against the suspect. However, the man had not been arrested and no charges had been filed against him as of this afternoon, Feb. 20, spokesman Grant Bissell said.
Deputies were called to the store at about 7:15 p.m. Monday, after the man allegedly shot at two people in a 2003 Ford Escape. No one was injured by the gunfire, but three vehicles in the parking lot were struck, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
A 22-year-old woman, whose last listed address was in Festus, and a 62-year-old Fenton man were in the Escape. The woman had been in a relationship with the suspect, the report said.
The woman told investigators the suspect approached her while she was shopping in the store and threatened her, saying she was going to come with him whether she wanted to or not, according to the report.
The woman said she left the store, but the suspect followed her to the Escape. He allegedly lifted his shirt to show he had a gun, and the Fenton man, who had driven the woman to the store, got out of the car and started arguing with the suspect, the report said.
The Fenton man had a holstered gun in his hand when he got out of the Escape to confront the suspect. The two men allegedly argued with each other, but the Fenton man did not remove the gun he had from its holster, according to the report.
The Fenton man and woman got into the car, and the suspect allegedly shot at them while running away from the Escape. The woman said she believed the suspect fired the gun at least eight times with none of the bullets striking her, the Fenton man or the car they were in, the report said.
The suspect left the parking lot in a Dodge Durango, according to the report.
No weapons were seized, and the case was still under investigation as of this afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
Because those involved know each other, the Sheriff’s Office does not believe the suspect is a danger to anyone else, Bissell said.
The Sheriff’s Office offers resources for survivors of domestic violence, including a victim services coordinator and an advocate. If you are in a domestic violence situation and need help, email pshort@jeffcomo.org or call 636-797-5017.