Columbia sees violent start to year; weighs gun violence research
Haley Swaino
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Three shootings in Columbia have left two people dead and three people hurt in the first 19 days of 2026. The shooters in two of the shootings have not been identified and arrested, police say.
According to Columbia police dispatch logs, officers responded to eight calls for shots fired and 16 calls for shots heard from Jan. 1 to Jan. 19, 2026.
A man was shot in the 1400 block of Ridgemont Court in southwest Columbia around 8:15 p.m. on Sunday. Michael R. Burke, 42, of Columbia, later died at a local hospital.
On Thursday, a man was shot in the 2400 block of Nelwood Drive in north Columbia just after 11:30 p.m. His injuries were not life-threatening, and on door-camera video obtained by ABC 17 News, a man can be heard screaming, “I’m shot!” The victim replies, “In my leg!” after another person asked where he was shot. No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
The first weekend of 2026 was another violent one in the city. On Jan. 4, three people were shot off east Columbia’s Clark Lane at the Greens apartment complex around 9 p.m. Brianna Hawkins, 21, of Fulton, later died from her injuries at a nearby hospital.
James L. Caldwell Jr., 23, was arrested Sunday and charged Monday with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and two counts of first-degree assault. His address in jail records is listed as Fulton.
The night before the Clark Lane shooting, a 17-year-old Columbia teen was arrested for firing shots during a carjacking in the Shoppes at Stadium area. Officers were called to the area just after 7 p.m. for reports of an active assailant inside Dick’s Sporting Goods. No injuries were reported.
Police say the teen later ran away, stole a car and drove away on Interstate 70. Flock security cameras led troopers to find the stolen vehicle near Sedalia and initiate a traffic stop around 8:15 p.m. The teen attempted to flee, leading to a pursuit. The car crashed on Route V near Bahner Road, and the suspect was taken into custody just after 8:30 p.m.
The teen was arrested on suspicion of three counts of first-degree assault, one count of first-degree property damage, vehicle hijacking, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action.
Last January, Columbia also saw reports of gun violence.
On Jan. 19, 2025, police responded to reports of shots fired in the 2100 block of West Worley Street just before 5:30 p.m. No one was hurt, but they found multiple shell casings at the scene and later detained six juveniles in the 400 block of North Stadium Boulevard. Officers also recovered at least three guns, one of which was previously reported stolen.
One juvenile was detained on four counts of first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. A second juvenile was detained for unlawful possession of a firearm and trespassing, while a third was detained for unlawful possession of a gun. The fourth was detained for juvenile delinquency. Two were released without charges.
The increased gun violence comes as the Columbia City Council is set to look at gun violence at a $291,280 agreement with the National Institute of Criminal Justice Reform for research, strategic planning and technical assistance professional services will be on the table for a vote.
If approved, the institute would provide the Columbia Office of Violence Prevention with a gun violence research and support in implementing tactics to reduce it.
A gun violence problem analysis will use detailed data provided by the city on deadly and non-deadly shootings in the past 12–24 months. The study will identify “the specific nature of gun violence in Columbia and the unique characteristics of groups and individuals at highest risk of being involved in gun violence,” according to city council documents. The institute will then make a report to help the city focus on interventions.
The contract includes a violence reduction landscape analysis that will provide a comprehensive portrait of Columbia’s existing community violence intervention, looking at both governmental and community-based resources, documents say. This research aims to identify possible service gaps and opportunities for increased coordination and collaboration.
Columbia officials met with Gov. Mike Kehoe on Jan. 5 to discuss public safety in the city.
“Historically, the state of Missouri is not necessarily looking to enforce any additional gun laws, but having that grey area when it comes to youth with guns, we can’t do anything until they pull the trigger,” Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe told ABC 17 News after the meeting. “So, what can we do as a city to help us advocate for this common-sense gun legislation that will help our officers do their job?”
Columbia City Manager De’Carlon Seewood said no other meetings with Kehoe had been scheduled as of Jan. 5.