East Prairie man charged with shooting stepfather after argument

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- A 19-year-old East Prairie man is charged in the shooting Saturday night of his stepfather.

The Sikeston Standard Democrat reported Gage Holland is charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action for the shooting of Harold Clough, 37. Holland is being held in the Mississippi County Detention Center in lieu of $500,000 cash bond.

According to East Prairie Police Chief Danny Lafferty, officers were called to 711 E. Washington St. at 11:27 p.m. Saturday.

Lafferty said Holland has indicated the shooting followed an argument between the two men. "He alleges that the argument led to him being hit a couple of time so (Holland) went to gun cabinet in his room and took out gun and shot him," said Lafferty.

Clough was shot in the groin area with a slug from a 20-gauge shotgun. He was taken to a hospital in Cape Girardeau where he was listed in satisfactory condition, the police chief reported.

Holland fled the scene but was arrested around 10 a.m. Sunday at a residence in East Prairie. Lafferty said Holland was arrested without incident and the gun used in the shooting was recovered by his officers.