Police search for perpetrator in the shooting of two men

Columbia Police were looking this morning for a man they say shot two men in front of a downtown bar. One of the men was identified in a statement by MU basketball coach Mike Anderson as junior DeMarre Carroll, who joined the team last season.

Carroll is Anderson’s nephew.

A total of 17 officers responded to a call of a gunshot victim at the Tropicana Bar at 808 Cherry St., around 1:30 a.m., Capt. Brad Nelson said. Initially the bar called the police to report that someone was possibly shooting off fireworks, but the bar called back a few minutes later to report the shooting, Nelson said.

DeMarre, 20, was shot in the ankle. A 23-year-old man who was not identified was shot in the side, police said. A large-caliber handgun was used at the shooting, and several shell casings were found at the scene, police said.

Police found the victims at a local emergency room, which they would not name. DeMarre was treated and released, according to Anderson’s statement. The 23-year-old was admitted, and his injuries are not considered life-threatening, Nelson said. But police could not provide a condition report and would not provide the victims’ names because the perpetrator was still at large.

“This was a scary situation for DeMarre and one we will help him through,” Anderson said in the statement posted on MUTigers.com. “We are just very grateful the injuries suffered by everyone involved don’t appear to be life-threatening.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 875-8477.