Man charged with shooting at house, pointing gun at officers

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Dexter, Missouri, man was charged after he allegedly fired shots in his mother's home and pointed a rifle at police officers.

William C. Howard, 55, was charged with two counts of first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of armed criminal action and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver.

Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield set Howard's bond at $125,000 cash.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Dexter Police Department, which was contacted about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday by Howard's brother, according to Detective Cory Mills' probable-cause statement.

James Howard requested assistance in dealing with his brother, who was described as violent.

"James stated his brother, William Howard, had shot a bedroom window twice at their mother's residence" in the 100 block of Brookfield Drive in the Timber Creek subdivision, Mills said.

Dexter police Cpl. John Moore, patrolman Tony Pullum and Stoddard County deputy Cody Wilson contacted James Howard at the entrance to the subdivision, Mills said.

"James stated William lives with their mother at the residence and was struggling with mental illness due to his doctor recently changing his medication," Mills said.

The officers were invited inside the house. Pullum, Mills said, approached a partly closed bedroom door, and when he opened it, he "was immediately confronted by William sitting on the bed with a long rifle sitting across his legs." William Howard allegedly pointed the rifle at Pullum and Wilson as he began to stand, Mills said.

"Deputy Wilson ordered William to put the gun down, and William refused," Mills said.

Pullum, Mills said, retreated down the hallway, while Wilson ran to a garage.

For about six minutes, Moore and Pullum negotiated with Howard in an "attempt to end the situation in a peaceful manner, while keeping visual contact," Mills said.

William Howard allegedly stood and continued to point the rifle in the officers' direction, "stating he would shoot them," Mills said. "At 10:27 p.m., William positioned the rifle to the side of his body, as if he was examining the chamber."

William Howard's alleged actions gave the officers the opportunity to gain control of the man and rifle, Mills said.

"At this time, Cpl. Moore and [patrolman] Pullum rushed William in an attempt to place him in custody," Mills said. "A brief struggle ensued over the custody of the rifle," and William Howard was "eventually incapacitated" when one of the officers deployed his Taser.