Man Charged in Ferguson Shooting That Injured 2 Police Officers

UPDATE:

CLAYTON, MO (KTVI)- St. Louis County Police have confirmed that the suspected shooter of two police officers early Thursday morning outside of the Ferguson police department is in custody. Jeffrey Williams, 20, of north St. Louis County, has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault, firing a weapon from a vehicle, and two counts of armed criminal action. He is in custody with cash-only bail set at $300,000.

Jeffrey Williams, 20, of north St. Louis County

The two officers were shot just after midnight, as many protestors were headed home following a night of protests after the resignation of the city’s police chief. The two were standing with other officers in front of the police department on South Florissant Road working crowd control when shots were heard. It is believed that they were fired from behind the protestors.

At a Sunday afternoon news conference, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said that Williams has admitted to firing the shots that struck the officers. Williams was at the protest in Ferguson Wednesday. He left, possibly after a dispute, and then later returned and fired shots from inside a vehicle, possibly at someone other than police. A handgun has been recovered and matches shell casings from the scene.

“We’re not 100 percent sure there was a dispute,” McCulloch said at the news conference.
Even if police were not the intended targets, Williams would face the same charges.

Williams is on probation for receiving stolen property and wanted for failing to report to his probation officer.

By AARON KATERSKY and EMILY SHAPIRO

A 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a shooting outside the headquarters of the Ferguson police department that injured two officers, St. Louis County police and prosecutors said today.

Jeffery Williams was charged with two counts of first-degree assault, one count of firing a weapon from a vehicle, and three counts of armed criminal action, said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch. He was being held on $300,000 cash bond.

McCulloch said a handgun recovered from Williams, 20, matched shell casings found from the scene of the shooting. It's unclear if he meant to shoot the police officers, said McCulloch, since Williams told investigators he was involved in some sort of dispute prior to the shooting.