Argument leads to alleged discharge of firearm

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

A Shell Knob man is being held in the Barry County jail on four felony charges after allegedly shooting a victim during an altercation.

Raymond Brownsberger, 30, of Shell Knob, is charged with first-degree assault (attempted murder), unlawful use of a weapon while intoxicated, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and armed criminal action.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Det. Sgt. Abby Parsons, with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, authorities were dispatched to a residence located in Barry County on May 23 for a shooting report. 

Deputies arrived and detained Brownsberger, who had made a statement on the 911 call that he had shot the victim one time. The victim was transported by ambulance to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Deputies secured a Taurus G3C at the scene.

In an interview later, the victim said people were sitting around a fire and Brownsberger was arguing with an unknown subject. The victim said he stepped in between Brownsberger and the unknown subject to separate them when Brownsberger allegedly shot him. The victim stated he and Brownsberger had both been consuming alcohol.

Two witnesses were later interviewed at the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. The first witness said Brownsberger requested the victim leave the property after making derogatory statements to a third witness who was not interviewed. The first witness said the victim refused to leave and had struck him in the head a couple of times. 

The witness said he stepped in between Brownsberger and the victim, and the victim came at Brownsberger again in an aggressive posture, then Brownsberger shot the victim. 

Parsons’ statement said the first witness had marks along his hairline and under his right eye from where the victim had struck him.

The second witness, a juvenile under the age of 16, said in an interview he witnessed the males verbally arguing about a female, and that the first witness broke up a physical fight between Brownsberger and the victim. The witness said he observed Brownsberger go to his vehicle and return, and said he was approximately five feet away from the victim when Brownsberger allegedly shot him, holding the victim’s hand as he fell.

Brownsberger was interviewed at the Sheriff’s Office after being advised of his rights, stating he and the victim were having a fire to cook a pig, and he had consumed seven or eight beers.

Brownsberger said the first witness advised him the victim had made advances toward the third witness, leading him to ask the victim to leave. Brownsberger said the victim became argumentative and punched the first witness twice. 

Brownsberger said he went to his truck and got his gun, and he said he kept telling the victim to leave. Brownsberger said the victim attacked him by choking him, and the first witness was able to get the victim off. 

Brownsberger said he then asked the victim to leave again and the victim advanced toward him. He said he pulled his gun and shot the victim, believing to be 12-15 feet away from the victim at the time. Brownsberger said he called 911 and was scared of the victim.

Parsons listed no pending charges or priors in the probable cause statement.

Brownsberger is being held on a cash-only bond of $100,000. A bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m. in the courtroom of Judge Robert Foulke.