Man arrested, charged in connection with Olive Street shooting

The man believed responsible for an early morning Olive Street shooting in Cape Girardeau was taken into custody in Illinois on Wednesday afternoon, police reported.

Tommy Joe Davis III, 29, of Cape Girardeau has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action for the shooting. Judge William Syler set the cash-only bond at $250,000.

This was the scene at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, where a SWAT team surrounded a house at 1312 Amblewood in Cape Girardeau.

Police officers and a heavily armed SWAT team in riot gear surrounded a duplex on Amblewood Drive for several hours Wednesday morning in an attempt to apprehend Davis.

Police were led to the duplex, with addresses of 1312 and 1314 Amblewood Drive, after witnesses pointed them there after the shooting about 5 a.m. at 523 Olive St.

Police knew there were people inside the unit at 1314 Amblewood Drive, and continued to call out on a loudspeaker for Davis to come out or answer his cellphone. It was later confirmed Davis lives at 1314 Amblewood Drive.

At about 10:20 a.m., police sent a bomb-squad robot into the house, fearing a potential hostage situation, but officers later emerged with two men, escorting them away in handcuffs.

It was not immediately clear if the two had any relationship to the Olive Street shooting suspect. A police spokesman said police were aware of people in the building, and when they refused to come out, they feared the worst. Armed officers made a sweep of both units because they are connected by a common area, allowing anyone inside to move between the two.

The men were questioned by police, revealing Davis was not in the home, and their handcuffs were removed. They remained in police custody after officers began leaving the scene.

Police spokesman Sgt. Jason Selzer issued a statement at the scene, saying officers arrived at Amblewood Drive about 5:10 a.m., moments after the Olive Street shooting. Police did not begin leaving the scene until 11:24 a.m. Several agencies responded, and a bomb squad was dispatched.

Police had guns drawn, yelling frequently for Davis to come out. They asked him to answer his cellphone, saying, "We can work this out!"

Later, police shouted Davis' name and said "if you're in the house."

The victim of the shooting on Olive Street was shot in the stomach, according to the police news release. He was transferred to a local hospital with what police described as a serious injury.

The victim told an officer at the scene that Davis shot him after he answered the door, according to a probable-cause statement from the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's office. The victim said there was no argument between the two at the time of the shooting, but another person at the scene said there may have been a love triangle among the victim, Davis and Davis' girlfriend.

The probable-cause statement notes officers were called to 1314 Amblewood Drive at approximately 4 a.m. for a report of a theft. Officers spoke with Davis, who said he wanted to retrieve property belonging to him that he believed was at the house on Olive Street. Davis stated he would "do whatever it takes" to get his property back, according to the probable-cause statement.

A photo of Davis has not been released.

Reporter Robyn Gautschy and photographer Laura Simon contributed to this report.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

1314 Amblewood Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

523 Olive St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.