Downtown PB shooting blamed on prior grudge

A local man faces charges in connection with a Friday night shooting outside a bar in downtown Poplar Bluff.

Carl Corneilous Dailey, 22, was charged Sunday with the Class B felonies of first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon, the unclassified felony of armed criminal action and the Class E felony of unlawful use of a weapon.

Dailey was to make his initial appearance Monday before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce for arraignment on the charges, but as of 3:45 p.m. had yet to appear. Dailey is being held without bond.

Dailey is charged in connection with an investigation, which began at approximately 11:45 p.m. when officers with the Poplar Bluff Police Department responded at Haffy’s Bar and Grill in the 300 block of Vine Street in reference to shots fired.

Upon their arrival, the officers learned a group of bar patrons were standing in front of the business when a red or maroon SUV arrived, Lt. Josh Stewart wrote in his probable-cause statement.

“Four Black male occupants of the vehicle exited it and approached the group standing in front of the business,” Stewart said. “One member of the group (identified as the victim) … was familiar with these subjects and identified them,” including Dailey.

Dailey and another man, identified as Dailey’s cousin, allegedly were armed with handguns, Stewart said.

Due to prior conflicts, Stewart said, the victim was “aware that the four subjects may intend to harm him.

“(He) subsequently fled east along Vine Street and took cover behind a parked vehicle. Shortly thereafter, (he) noticed Dailey and his cousin on either side of the vehicle behind which he was seeking cover.”

Stewart said the victim then fled further east along Vine Street as Dailey and his cousin allegedly fired shots at him.

“(The victim) began firing back at the suspects before losing sight of them,” Stewart said. “This act was confirmed by deputies with the Butler County Sheriff’s Department …”

The deputies, Stewart said, upon hearing shots and exiting the sheriff’s department, observed a Black male (the victim) standing at the intersection of Main and Vine streets and firing a handgun toward the west.

The victim, Stewart said, continued southeast across downtown, coming to a stop in an alleyway, where officers contacted him.

Stewart said the victim was interviewed twice and identified Dailey as one of the subjects involved in the incident.

In processing the scene, Stewart said, Detective Jason Morgan located several spent shell casings and points of impact from various projectiles.

“In total, Detective Morgan located shell casings from what he believed to be four separate firearms,” Stewart said. “These included shell casings in .45-caliber, .40-caliber and 9mm.”

On Saturday, Stewart said, officers found Dailey at a residence in the 1400 block of Harper Street and took him into custody.

After being told of his rights, Stewart said, Dailey denied any involvement in the incident.

A search warrant, Stewart said, was sought and obtained for the Harper Street residence.

“This warrant was sought in hopes of locating potential firearms’ evidence left at the residence by Carl Dailey,” said Stewart, who indicated nothing of evidentiary value was found.

While at the residence, Stewart said, he contacted Dailey’s girlfriend, who reported she and Dailey lived at a residence in the 1000 block of Clyde.

Stewart said the woman agreed to accompany officers to her home and gave them permission to search it.

“During this search, investigators located a plastic Glock carrying case,” said Stewart.

The case, Stewart said, contained a magazine speed loader, a bore brush, an envelope containing two spent shell casings (from the factory and included with all Glock firearms) and a box of .45-caliber ammunition (containing nine live rounds).

Stewart said a magazine for a Hi-Point handgun also was found.

“More arrests are expected” as the investigation continues, Stewart said.