A shooting incident occurred on Sunday afternoon in Sedalia, resulting in one man being shot and another arrested, who was later charged with murder the following Monday.

Law enforcement detained two individuals, with Davonta M. Hernton, aged 20, being taken into custody. Hernton faces charges including second-degree felony murder, unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action, and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He is currently held at Pettis County Jail without bond, awaiting a court date to be scheduled.

The incident unfolded when officers discovered Felix Cooley, 21, with a gunshot wound near West 18th Street and South Sneed Avenue, according to a press release from the Sedalia Police Department. Cooley was hospitalized, though his condition was not initially disclosed.

Allegedly, Hernton discharged a handgun in an area where children were playing outside, as stated in the complaint. The probable cause statement reveals that Cooley was found with a gunshot wound to his head, with Hernton and another individual detained at the scene.

Evidence collected includes multiple 9mm casings and a bullet behind a blue vehicle, as well as a bullet found within the vehicle itself. Additionally, a firearm was retrieved from the residence where the individuals were staying, with another gun discovered on-site.

Hernton claimed to police that a white car followed him, Cooley, and another person before the shooting occurred. He asserted that the shooter emerged from the white car, prompting Hernton and the others to take cover behind the blue vehicle and eventually return fire. However, Hernton denied recognizing the assailant.

According to Hernton’s account, Cooley remained behind the car during the exchange of gunfire and did not possess a firearm. Following the incident, Hernton and the other individual returned home, only realizing later that Cooley had been shot. They then went back to the scene, where Cooley was found injured on the ground.