Springfield man charged in Lebanon, shooting in Mo

LEBANON, Mo. (KY3) – A Springfield man was charged Sunday evening in connection with a shooting investigation.

According to court documents, 53-year-old John Hilliard is charged with unlawful use of a weapon. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

According to the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting happened in the 23000 block of Penner Lane in Lebanon, near an apartment.

When officers arrived on scene, they discovered multiple shots had been fired in the area, one of which struck a 21-year-old woman in the hand. She was taken to hospital for treatment.

Police said four people were in the apartment at the time of the shooting.

“Several shots were fired into the home from outside the apartment. There were four residents in the apartment during the shooting,” said Laclede County Sheriff David Millsap.

Investigators say they were able to track down the car Hilliard was driving at the time. Authorities found the car on I-44 and stopped it. Hilliard was taken into custody.

According to court documents, Hilliard told investigators he was the getaway driver for two suspects in the shooting. Hilliard said the two men got out of his car, and he drove away and waited for them. He drove around again and the two got back into the car, one of which was carrying a gun.

The two men told Hilliard to drive to a Denny’s and get into another car parked there. The person driving the other car drove Hilliard back to Springfield.

Investigators searched Hilliard’s car involved in the shooting. They noticed a pool of blood in the backseat, leading investigators to believe one of the suspects had been injured in the shooting.

Investigators say Hilliard may not appear in court in response to a summons because he is on parole in Arkansas. Investigators contacted Hilliard’s probation officer, who said he is not cleared to be in Missouri for any reason.

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