A Jefferson County man has been accused of shooting two men who came to his home to pick up a motorcycle part. The alleged shooting happened outside a house in the 2200 block of Lake Tekakwitha Road, according to court records.
William Andrew Cooksey, 36, on Tuesday, July 8, was charged with two counts of first-degree assault, each a class B felony punishable by five to 15 years in prison; and two counts of armed criminal action, each an unclassified felony that carry penalties of three to 15 years in prison, court documents show.
Cooksey was arrested at another home in the Pacific area on Tuesday, and as of this afternoon, July 9, he was being held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, according the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
According to the case’s probable-cause statement, two people on Monday, July 7, went to Cooksey’s home on Lake Tekakwitha Road south of Pacific to get a motorcycle part. Cooksey met the two outside and then went into the home to get the part. He came back out and threw the part at their feet before going back inside.
Another person came to the home and started talking to the two people who came to get the part, and while the three were talking, Cooksey came out of the home with a shotgun and started yelling at the two people who he gave the part to, the report said.
Cooksey then allegedly shot at the pair numerous times. Both were struck in the leg by the birdshot, according to the report.
A Sheriff’s Office detective wrote in the probable-cause statement that he found numerous gunshot shells outside and inside the home. He also found broken glass from a window outside the home, where it appears Cooksey also allegedly fired the gun at the two people, the report said.
The detective also allegedly was shown video of Cooksey holding the gun outside the home. The video also allegedly showed a muzzle flash from the direction that Cooksey walked toward when he exited the camera’s view, according to the report.
The Sheriff’s Office seized a 16-gauge Browning shotgun at the home, and investigators believe it is the weapon Cooksey was seen holding in the video, the report said.
Grant Bissell, spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office, said the victims were a 64-year-old man and a 60-year-old man, both from Pacific. He said they had minor injuries and were treated at the scene.