A Doniphan man is the first to be incarcerated in the new Ripley County Detention Center after shooting a man.
Kevin Lee King, 35, is charged with first-degree assault, fourth-degree assault (special victim: law enforcement), armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, and a felony of leaving the scene of an accident.
On July 31, the Doniphan Police Department received a call that a gunshot victim was receiving treatment at Urgent Care in Doniphan.
According to reports, the shooting occurred at a residence on Ripley Co. Route A-2 in Doniphan.
The Ripley County Sheriff’s Department were en route to the residence following the shooting and pulled up to a car crash which had occurred on Ripley Route A-2.
King had left the scene of the shooting in pursuit of the victim, who was driving himself to the hospital.
While following the victim, King and passenger Donald Hines were involved in a collision with two juveniles.
Reportedly King forcibly took one of the juveniles back toward his residence.
When Sheriff Mike Barton and deputies arrived at the residence, they surrounded the home and called out to King and Hines.
Officers ordered King to the ground and Cpl. M. L. Schlief attempted to handcuff him.
As he had one arm cuffed, King began to roll away from him, resisting arrest.
Reports state that Sgt. J. A. Wilson assisted, and after King was secured in the patrol vehicle, he spit on Sheriff Mike Barton.
Trooper G.L. Hendrix interviewed the shooting victim, who had been transferred to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.
He stated he went to King’s residence to speak with him about some mechanical work he wanted King to do.
He stated, during the conversation “King was losing his mind” and pulled out a knife.
The victim stated as he was in his vehicle about to leave, King shot him with a Ruger rifle, with a possible synthetic stock.
He said King kept saying, “You’re not gonna set me up.”
Master Sgt. J.D. Johnson and Trooper Hendrix also interviewed King at the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department.
He admitted to shooting the victim in the arm. He said he dropped the rifle outside his residence before getting into his vehicle to follow him.
The car crash occurred while he was in pursuit, said King. He stated he and Hines walked back to his residence with a third male, but he could not describe him.
Reports stated that King later admitted that he and Hines purposely cut themselves with a knife, with the intention of making it appear as if the victim had done it.
A search warrant was obtained for King’s residence, where investigators located a black synthetic stock Rossi .22 long rifle under a table in the living room.
A sawed-off shotgun and a black knife were located outside the residence A silver knife with suspected blood stains was located in an entertainment center in the living room. All the items were seized as evidence.
The juvenile driver involved in the car crash was also interviewed.
He stated he was driving a gray Chevrolet Suburban when he was suddenly struck by King’s vehicle. Two men, whom he described as King and Hines contacted him after the crash and King apologized for causing the wreck.
He stated that as he attempted to call his boss to let him know he was involved in the crash, King grabbed his phone and smashed it with a vehicle part from the wreckage.
King reportedly told him to kneel and grabbed him by the hair, then told him he was “coming with” him, or he “would kill” him.
The young man stated King “smacked, punched and spit” on him multiple times as they walked back to King’s residence and threatened to kill him with Hines’ knife.
Once they began walking up the driveway, the young man saw his boss on the road and fled from King and Hines.
Hines, who is currently on probation, is jailed on a 48-hour court order shock hold.
Sheriff Barton stated, on behalf of his department, “I am thankful for the cooperation with the agencies of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Doniphan Police Department, and US Missouri Forest Service, whose help was vital to this investigation.”