UPDATE: According to court documents, on May 14 charges against Jawaun Thompson were dismissed.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — More details have been released on a downtown Springfield shooting on April 25, 2021.
Court records say 25-year-old Jawaun Thompson from Coffeeville, Kansas has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action after a shooting took place over the weekend near Zan Night Club.
According to the PC statement, the shooting happened outside the club around 1:20 a.m. Before the shooting happened an altercation between Thompson and an unidentified male began.
The male began to grab at Thompson’s hand but Thompson pushed him away and displayed “body language” that he did not want to fight. The man then attempted to punch Thompson and may have made contact, according to authorities.
Thompson then reached for his handgun and was tackled to the ground and hit several times by the male. At the same time, a man with the initials Q.J. then reached to the left side of Jawaun as two shots were fired.
Police, 10 feet away, then arrested Thompson who said “they shot at me.” Q.J. later found an officer as he suffered a gunshot wound. He was taken into intensive care but is now in stable condition.
According to the pc statement, Thompson legally owned the firearm and had the gun on him because he felt safer. Thompson is from Coffeyville, Kansas and was in Springfield because he heard downtown Springfield was a “fun place to visit.” He said his son had recently died and he needed to relax.
Thompson said he believed he was “simply defending” himself.
He is facing charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Thompson’s first court appearance is scheduled for May 12 at 9 a.m.