Tamms man charged with assault on police officer

Though Jordan Modicue will not face any charges for wielding an air pistol at a Cape Girardeau bar, provoking a police officer to open fire on him, another man now faces charges for shoving the officer after the shooting.

Brandon T. Jeffers, 22, of Tamms, Ill., was arrested and charged Wednesday with one count of third-degree assault on a law enforcement officer.

The shooting occurred Sept. 27, when Modicue pointed a black gun at the head of another man during an altercation at Main Street Bar as the bar was closing.

Officer Joseph "Joey" Hann, who had responded to a call of a fight at the business, drew his weapon and ordered Modicue to drop his gun. When other officers chimed in with demands to drop the gun, it appeared to Hann that Modicue intended to fire, and he discharged his own weapon.

The gun was later found to be an air-powered pistol that fires BBs or pellets.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle opted not to charge Hann or Modicue in the shooting, but announced he would be filing charges against a man who pushed Hann after the shooting, once the suspect was identified.

According to a probable-cause statement, the crowd became "very irate" with the officers and a man later identified as Jeffers approached Hann.

"You just shot my brother," the man said, according to the document.

He allegedly threatened to kill Hann as he gave him a push on the shoulders.

Jeffers faces up to a year in jail if convicted.