Two minors, 1 adult in custody in connection with weekend shooting in Mexico
Keriana Gamboa
MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)
Three people are in custody after Mexico police responded to a shooting that damaged property near the 600 block of Grove Street on Saturday evening.
Two 15-year-old boys were taken to a juvenile detention center, the Mexico Department of Public Safety stated in a news release.
Cynquail C. Hardman, 18, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and conspiracy to commit a felony. A confined docket hearing is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Audrain County Courthouse. He is being held without bond.
Police say an argument happened between two groups of people, which led to them firing guns. No one was hurt.
Court documents say video from the area showed Hardman with a gun, shooting toward an occupied home. Another suspect was found and admitted to shooting the gun, saying Hardman had given it to him, investigators allege. That suspect allegedly said Hardman was shooting as well, and afterward, they split up, and Hardman took the gun, the probable cause statement says.
The statement says when police arrested Hardman, he allegedly admitted he was there but denied knowing a shooting would happen and denied giving or taking the gun. He later said he was drunk, couldn’t remember what happened, and ran away because he was scared, court documents say.
Three homes, a shed and a vehicle were damaged in the incident.
Ceayra Henderson and her 2-year-old son were inside when two groups got into a fight and started shooting outside their home. She said she thought it was fireworks at first.
“So I get up to come outside to tell them to stop, and my son’s father comes running in the door and tells me to get down because they’re shooting outside,” Henderson said.
She told ABC 17 News her house and car were damaged. Neighbor Aaron Leg told ABC 17 News he was outside when it happened.
“They had sent shots down towards the house, had struck the Kia, and they had hit the house a couple of times and also returned fire towards my neighbor’s shed,” Led said.
Data shows two gun crimes committed by people aged 10-17 have happened this year within Mexico city limit.
ABC 17 News reached out to the Mexico Public Safety Chief Brice Mesko for numbers on juvenile crimes in the area and he declined to comment.