More details emerge about Wednesday shootout in Jackson

Court documents released to the public have revealed more details about a Wednesday afternoon shootout between police and a Jackson man.

Prosecutors filed five felony charges against Lawrence Anthony Guthrie, 46, after he was involved in a shootout with law enforcement in the Broadridge subdivision, officials said.

The Jackson Police Department responded to a 911 call from Guthrie's wife reporting domestic violence with gunfire in progress at 1240 Broadridge Drive shortly before 4 p.m., Jackson Lt. Scott Eakers said in a probable-cause statement. Dispatchers reported they could hear gunfire in the background.

Officers warned Eakers when he arrived that an armed man was on the scene. Eakers exited his car with his weapon drawn.

Smoking rifle

As he got out of the car, he spotted a man, later identified as Lawrence Guthrie, firing a rifle in his direction, he said in the statement.

"I saw smoke coming from the rifle. I have no doubt he was shooting at me," the statement said. A search of the scene later revealed five spent shell casings near where Guthrie had been standing, the statement said.

Guthrie ran south to the next house, where he stopped and fired two more rounds toward Eakers and four nearby officers. Eakers heard the bullets strike the ground near patrol vehicles where officers were taking cover, his statement said. Again, investigators found shell casings near the position where Guthrie had allegedly fired his weapon.

Eakers then lost sight of Guthrie.

Moments later, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Shawn Price encountered Guthrie near the backyard of a home in the 1400 block of Primrose Lane, Price told Eakers. Guthrie was in a tree line firing toward Price, Eakers' statement said. Three bullets struck a nearby home. Price dropped to the ground, took cover, then retreated to Primrose Lane. Price entered a home in the 1300 block of the street and took a position at a window, where he could see smoke rising from the tree line where he believed Guthrie was firing his weapon.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department Lt. David James heard the shooting and positioned himself behind a nearby house, the statement said. He spotted Guthrie's legs as he was hiding in shrubbery.

"James could hear the bullets whizzing by him," Eakers' statement said.

Bullets struck tree branches near James. James told Eakers that he believed Guthrie fired at him at least six times.

James returned fire, squeezing off four rounds with a shotgun.

From his position inside the home, Price also fired four shots toward the spot where he believed the shooter was concealed, the statement said.

Guthrie stopped firing.

James and Jackson police chief James Humphreys approached Guthrie, who was on the ground suffering from gunshot wounds, the statement said. An AR-15 rifle and a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun were on the ground nearby. It was unclear Thursday whether Guthrie's wounds were self-inflicted. His wounds did not appear to be life-threatening, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said in a statement.

Officers called for medical treatment for Guthrie, who was transported to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, then checked nearby houses for victims.

Eakers and other officers returned to 1240 Broadridge Drive "to determine if his wife was still alive," the statement said.

Officers found a handgun on the garage floor and a large number of spent shell casings in the hallway. As they searched the home, they found bullet holes throughout.

Fled to basement

The suspect's wife eventually came up from the basement, the statement said. She told investigators her husband had beat her.

"She was visibly upset and crying," Eakers' statement said. "I could see that her face was very swollen."

Police transported the woman to the police station to be interviewed. She told investigators the couple had been having marital and monetary problems.

Lawrence Guthrie arrived at the home earlier that afternoon, she said. He punched and kicked his wife. He went to his pickup "to get his gun," she told investigators. But she got her own. When he came back inside and saw that she had a weapon, he began firing a handgun at her. She fled to the basement and called for help.

All the gunshots in the home had been fired by Lawrence Guthrie, the statement said.

Swingle charged Lawrence Guthrie Wednesday evening with three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer. Guthrie is also charged with first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action.

Associate Circuit Court Judge Gary Kamp set Guthrie's bond at $500,000. If convicted of assault on a law enforcement officer, Guthrie faces up to life in prison.

Swingle said Barnes-Jewish Hospital has armed guards on staff. The hospital has an agreement with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department to provide guards for suspects so deputies can remain in the county, he said.

Court records show that Guthrie's wife filed for a legal separation from her husband in February. The case was scheduled for a review before Kamp on July 6.

"I don't know what impact on the case this will have," Thad Michael Brady, Angel Guthrie's attorney, said Thursday. "This whole thing with her husband yesterday, I haven't had a chance to talk to her about it yet."

jgamm@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

1240 Broadridge Drive, Jackson, MO