Two people were arrested early Saturday morning in connection with Thursday night’s shooting in Sedalia.
According to Sedalia Police Department Detective Sgt. Kelley Casto, Patrick Covington, 20, of Sedalia, and Keyshawn Flowers, 18, of Sedalia, were both arrested in the 14000 block of Centerline Avenue in Cole Camp.
The two were arrested on charges of first degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest and receiving stolen property. Both Covington and Flowers are now at the Pettis County Jail.
With assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, SPD had a standoff with the two suspects for about three hours at an apartment building. Nearby residents were evacuated, according to a SPD news release.
About halfway into the standoff around 12:30 a.m., Covington came out of the building voluntarily, Casto said. He said MSHP had its SWAT team ready to enter the building, but when they announced they were coming in, Flowers also came outside around 2 a.m.
“They were arrested and brought to the station. Each spoke to us and both confessed they each had a gun,” Casto told the Democrat by phone Saturday morning. “They said they were the ones that got jumped by the group and they shot in self-defense to protect themselves.”
Casto said detectives later learned one of the suspects had a gun that was reported stolen several years ago out of Arizona.
“We are satisfied that these were the only two involved in the shooting at Seventh and Missouri Avenue,” Casto said.
According to a SPD news release, at about 10:43 p.m. Thursday, SPD officers responded to the area of West Seventh Street and South Missouri Avenue for a report of gunshots being fired.
Officers arrived on scene and learned a fight was started by several subjects. One of the subjects pulled a gun and began shooting several times. The victim, later identified as a 16-year-old male from Belton, was struck twice and transported to Bothwell Regional Health Center by his friends.
The victim was later taken by the Pettis County Ambulance District to a Columbia hospital for his injuries. Casto said Friday evening the victim was in surgery and was expected to be released from the hospital Friday or Saturday.
Casto said they later learned that Wednesday evening a juvenile was “jumped” by some male subjects in Clinton and after communication on Facebook the subjects decided to meet up.
“People were here traveling to Hubbard Park, they turned on Missouri (Avenue) and encountered the other subjects,” Casto continued. “A fight starts physically, and at some point one subject pulls a gun and begins shooting. The friends immediately got (the victim) in the vehicle and rushed him immediately to Bothwell where he was treated.”
Anyone with further information about this incident is encouraged to contact Casto at 660-827-7823 ext. 1216.
