Suspects sought in Poplar Bluff shooting

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Authorities want to question two people about a Tuesday shooting that sent a Poplar Bluff man to a hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the head.

About 1 p.m., the Poplar Bluff Police Department received a 911 call indicating a man, later identified as Mark Coger, was found sitting in the road in front of 909 Kendall St. with a gunshot wound, according to deputy chief Jeff Rolland.

When officers arrived, Rolland said, they found the 22-year-old resident of the 600 block of Eighth Street to be conscious and suffering from a single gunshot wound to his

head.

Officers, he said, believe Coger was shot with a small-caliber weapon.

Coger was taken by ambulance to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for treatment and subsequently flown to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

"The area was secured, and numerous detectives and officers conducted area searches and interviews of surrounding neighbors to identify potential witnesses or suspects," chief Danny Whiteley said.

Several neighbors raised concerns about the Kendall Street address where the victim was found.

"They stated there was frequent traffic and suspicious activity going on at that residence," Whiteley said.

Although no suspects have been positively identified, interviews revealed two persons of interest, Rolland said.

"We anticipate those interviews to produce more information concerning the investigation," he

said.

Officers have been dealing with Coger, who is unemployed, since 2009, "mainly on traffic and misdemeanor drug charges," Rolland said."It is our understanding, at this time, he is from the Detroit, Michigan, area and moved to be with

family."

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the police department at 573-785-5776.