Jefferson City shooting victim’s family demands answers on courthouse steps
Jazsmin Halliburton
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The family of the man killed in a shooting in Jefferson City demanded answers from law enforcement in a news conference Wednesday morning.
On the steps of the Cole County Courthouse, the family of Erik Spencer II spoke to the public regarding the investigation into his death. The family is asking for transparency and accountability, along with answers.
Jefferson City police revealed Spencer’s name Tuesday after he was killed Saturday night in a parking lot near the Old Navy on Missouri Boulevard. Spencer was a graduate of Lincoln University. However, the Jefferson City Police Department has not released the shooter’s name pending a decision from the prosecutor on whether charges will be filed.
ABC 17 News obtained the incident report from Saturday night. The report begins with a call to 911 at 7:52 p.m.. The caller told dispatch they witnessed a male assaulting a female in a red car. The caller and operator noted they were able to hear screaming coming from the car. The report then says the caller saw the woman try to leave the car while the screaming continued.
At 7:54 p.m., a gunshot is listed in the report, with the caller yelling “gun.” Seconds later, the caller tells the dispatcher a man had been shot and that the windows of the Old Navy store had also been shot out.
The report says the gunshot victim, later confirmed to be Spencer, was still breathing at 7:57 p.m. and that a licensed nurse was on scene trying to help. At 7:58 p.m., EMS arrived, and law enforcement secured a gun at the scene. At 8:02 p.m., CPR was in progress, and EMS was evaluating life-saving measures. Spencer’s time of death was not listed in the report, but police said he died at the scene.
A Buick sedan and a Hyundai sedan were towed from the scene. A black Audi was also secured and searched at the Jefferson City Police Department. Police recovered one gun from the scene.
According to police, the suspected shooter is cooperating with the investigation.
Redacted incident reportDownload
ABC 17 News has confirmed that a state employee was questioned by police regarding the incident and released. That person is currently on administrative leave and has not been detained. No charges have been filed in the case.
Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson, who has been in Boone County this week trying a murder case, said he will get a full briefing on the case Thursday. From there, Thompson said he will evaluate any other leads that may need to be followed. He said the “complexities” of the investigation could stall a decision.
In a social media post, Spencer’s family said they are frustrated by the lack of information from the Jefferson City Police Department.
Lincoln University acknowledged Spencer’s death in a Wednesday social media post.
“Unfortunately, Erik Spencer II, a former student, tragically lost his life in an incident off campus. We offer our condolences to Erik’s family and friends,” the post reads. “We encourage those in our campus community to utilize the resources available to students and employees as you deal with grief and other emotions following this tragedy.”