Two men arrested for allegedly shooting at Cape police officer

Two Cape Girardeau men were arrested early Friday morning for allegedly firing at a Cape Girardeau Police Department officer.

Deontay Holloman

Darius J. Ballentine, 30, and Deontay M. Holloman, 26, were taken into custody on charges of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle, all felonies. Ballentine was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm because he is a convicted felon.

While on routine patrol, patrolman Joseph Whistler responded to sounds of gunshots in the 3000 block of Mimosa Drive and located the two men outside an apartment. According to a probable-cause statement, Whistler saw multiple muzzle flashes from where both men were standing, and heard multiple gunshots directed toward his patrol vehicle. When Whistler ordered the men to surrender, they fled inside an apartment.

Police officers set up a perimeter and tried to convince Ballentine and Holloman to peacefully leave the apartment, but they refused to comply. After approximately 90 minutes of negotiations, Ballentine and Holloman left the apartment and surrendered to police. According to a probable-cause statement, officers obtained a search warrant for the apartment and recovered a 9 mm Taurus handgun and several types of ammunition. On the apartment patio, officers found 22 9 mm shell casings.

“Police officers go to work every day knowing that they perform a dangerous job,” Cape Girardeau police chief Wes Blair said. “However, that does not excuse this violent and unprovoked attack on one of our own. Shooting at police officers performing their duties is an assault on the entire community and must be condemned in the strongest of terms. The restraint exercised by responding officers in apprehending these suspects is commendable.”

First-degree assault in this instance is a class A felony because Ballentine and Holloman were allegedly shooting at a police officer, and is punishable by 10 years to life in prison. Armed criminal action is an unclassified felony punishable by three to 15 years in prison, unless the person is unlawfully possessing a firearm, in which case the sentence carries a minimum of five years. Discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle is a class B felony, punishable by five to 15 years in prison. Ballentine also faces up to seven years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Ballentine and Holloman remain in custody at the Cape Girardeau County Jail on $100,000 cash-only bonds.