Man sentenced 25 years in August 2024 downtown Columbia shooting
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A man who was accused of shooting at three people in a vehicle last year in downtown Columbia has been sentenced on Thursday to 25 years in prison.
Charlie Sneed III, 42, of Aurora, Colorado, was found guilty by a jury on June 4 of unlawful use of a weapon involving shooting at a vehicle, unlawful use of a weapon involving showing a weapon in an angry or threatening manner, armed criminal action, illegal gun possession, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. He’s currently being held at the Boone County Jail.
A press release from the Boone County prosecutor’s office says Sneed was walking on Broadway in downtown Columbia on Aug. 3, 2024, and walked up to three people who were standing near their vehicle. The release says Sneed “became aggressive,” pulled out a gun and shot at the people, who went into the vehicle.
“Mr. Sneed fired one bullet in the direction of the vehicle the three individuals were in and then attempted to hide the firearm inside of a flowerpot before fleeing the area,” the release says.
Police heard the shots and arrested him within minutes, the release says.
Court documents in previous reporting say police found a spent shell casing in the area, as well as a gun in the flower pot.