Police shoot man armed with knife who reportedly tried to assault officer inside Columbia gas station
Matthew Sanders
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Police shot a man armed with a knife after he reportedly tried to assault an officer on Christmas morning at a southeast Columbia gas station.
Officers were called to the Break Time at East Stadium and Maguire boulevards a little after 10:30 a.m. Thursday. They shot a man who had the knife, and he was taken to a hospital, a Columbia Police Department spokesperson said.
Boone County sheriff’s deputies and Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers were also at the scene.
CPD spokesperson said MSHP is investigating the incident because it was an officer-involved shooting.
CPD Deputy Chief Matt Stephens said no officers were hurt, but the two officers involved in the incident are on administrative leave, per CPD policy, Stephens said.
The confrontation happened inside the gas station, Stephens said. Officers tried to use a stun gun before shooting at the suspect, Stephens said.
The 911 call reported the suspect was nearby on Cinnamon Hill, but police found him at the Break Time station.
Stephens said the suspect went into surgery and came out of it, but couldn’t give an update on his condition.
Stephens also couldn’t release the names of the suspect or the officers.
Residents said the timing made the situation even more frightening. With many businesses closed for the holiday, the gas station was one of the few places open.
“It’s scary, especially on a big holiday,” said Kennedy Killian, who lives nearby. “It’s a gas station, there aren’t many places open on Christmas. People stop to grab a drink or a snack before seeing family. To think someone was armed or that shots were fired is terrifying.”
Columbia Police dispatch records show officers have responded to numerous calls in the area around the shooting. In December alone, Columbia Police handled 11 dispatch calls in the area of Cinnamon Hill Lane, ranging from disturbances and welfare checks to accidents, harassment and 911 checks.
Residents living in the apartment complex next to where the shooting occurred said the violence hits close to home.
“It’s scary to know that kind of thing can just happen around the place we are staying,” said resident Jowei Tien. “So I feel a bit worried about the shooting.”
Police activity in the area extends beyond just this month. Since the beginning of the year, dispatch records show 51 calls to the 3200 block of East Stadium Boulevard. The most common calls involved checking open businesses, larceny reports and accidents.
Killian said the shooting reflects a broader concern about safety across Columbia.
“I would say everything in Columbia is pretty close to downtown. I’m not very far, this place isn’t very far from downtown.” Killian said. “There have been numerous shootings and attacks, so it just doesn’t seem like a safe place for kids and families to want to stay.”
Tien said she is grateful many people were out of town for the holiday.
“I feel like it’s just a bit crazy to suddenly know a shooting can happen so random. And I’m also glad that people are out to their hometown so they’re not around,” she said.
Break Time closed in the aftermath of the shooting. An employee told to ABC 17 the store plans to reopen Friday.