Suspect sought in Park Avenue shooting
COLUMBIA — Columbia police are looking for a suspect in connection with Tuesday’s Park Avenue shooting that left a 15-year-old boy with gunshot wounds to the jaw and shoulder and a 20-year-old man with a wound to the upper leg.
The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office has issued a warrant for the arrest of Malcolm D. Redmon, 24, who has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action in connection with the shooting.
Columbia police responded to a large fight involving more than 50 people at about 6:49 p.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of Park Avenue. Police said the fight started between two groups of young men, some arriving on foot, others by car. The two groups have been involved in an ongoing feud, Sgt. Ken Hammond said.
“These were two loosely knit groups of young men who had a strong dislike for each other,” Hammond said. Hammond declined to say about what the men had been fighting.
According to court documents, as the fight broke out Tuesday, a black Suburban with four male occupants drove up, and at least one of the men in the vehicle had a handgun and fired between three and five rounds into the crowd.
The 20-year-old injured victim was a bystander during the fight and the 15-year-old was involved in the fight, police said. Both victims were taken to University Hospital. Police said their injuries are not life threatening.
Several people were questioned and, according to court documents, the two “sides” involved in the Park Avenue fight had been fighting at Douglass Park earlier in the day.
After police asked area residents for assistance in identifying a suspect, several anonymous tips were phoned in.
Redmon has previous convictions for stealing, distribution of a controlled substance and driving with a revoked license, according to online court documents.
Police said Redmon should be considered a threat to others and that anyone with information on Redmon’s location should call Columbia police or CrimeStoppers at 875-8477.