Two injured in incident involving Cape officer; highway patrol investigating

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday night in Cape Girardeau.

Police officers responded to a domestic incident involving a gun at the intersection of Green Acres Drive and Rand Street around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Sgt. Clark Parrott of the highway patrol.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found a man armed with a handgun, standing over a woman in the yard, Parrott said in a news release.

"Officers gave the man verbal commands to drop his weapon. He did not comply and turned toward the officers," according to the statement.

"Officers again gave verbal commands for the man to drop the handgun. He did not comply and officers fired their weapons at him," Parrott said.

Both the victim and the suspect were transported to a local hospital for treatment, Parrott said. Their conditions were not disclosed.

Prosecutors charged Hubert Ray, 56, of Cape Girardeau, with domestic assault, first-degree burglary and armed criminal action, all felonies. His bond was set at $1 million.

A probable-cause statement has been filed, but as of late Wednesday afternoon was sealed from the public.

Ray is accused of shooting his ex-wife, according to the complaint.

Assistant prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff wrote in the complaint Ray "knowingly entered" a building at 77 Green Acres Drive to assault his ex-wife and "while in immediate flight from such a building the defendant was armed with a deadly weapon, a gun."

Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Rick Schmidt said the department asked the patrol to investigate the shooting.

Schmidt said it is department policy to request a highway patrol investigation when there is an officer-involved shooting.

Parrott echoed that comment. He said before releasing the statement that law enforcement agencies throughout Southeast Missouri routinely make such requests.

"We are an unbiased third party," Parrott said, explaining why other agencies request the patrol investigate such shootings.

He said the patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control will release its findings and the names of the officers once its investigation has been completed.

The woman's name had not been released as of late Wednesday afternoon. She was identified in a court document as "V.R."

Parrott said he expects the patrol's investigation into this officer-involved shooting to be "short and sweet."

mbliss@semissourian.com

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