Cape Central High School graduation shooting timeline

The Southeast Missourian compiled a timeline of known events leading up to and following the gunshot at the Show Me Center that injured two victims during the Cape Central High School graduation ceremony Sunday, May 19. The timeline draws from eyewitness accounts, videos posted on social media channels and statements issued by police agencies and Cape Girardeau Public Schools.

• Prior to 2 p.m.: Students and attendees file into the Show Me Center. They walk through entrances that do not contain metal detectors. Five school resource officers and other school district staff are providing security.
• 2 p.m.: Cape Central High begins its graduation ceremony with graduates taking their seats to the band’s playing of “Pomp and Circumstance”. The event is being livestreamed by the school district.
• 2:24 p.m.: Senior class president Jessie Feng gives opening remarks; and senior class vice president Phoenix Schmidt gives introductions.
• 2:33 p.m.: As senior class secretary Annie McDougal gives “reflection” remarks, with class treasurer Lydia Cao at her side, a loud bang rings out in the arena, followed by a brief silence, then screaming. Many people in attendance immediately assume they’ve just heard a gunshot. According to firsthand witnesses, people throughout the crowd were diving behind seats. Several dozen people, possibly 100 or more, exit the arena immediately and people continue to stream out of the facility. One witness called the initial moments as “utterly terrifying.” It’s later confirmed this is when a shot was fired on the second-level concourse by the concession area after two individuals were said to be fighting, according to a police spokesperson.
• According to Cape Girardeau Mayor Stacy Kinder, who witnessed the event and submitted a column to the Southeast Missourian, “within seconds of hearing a gunshot, families were fleeing the stands, others were huddled over their loved ones and terrified graduates were leaving the floor and looking for their parents. It was the most chaotic and scary scene I’ve ever experienced.”
• 2:33 p.m.: Within a minute of the shots being heard, Cape Girardeau police receive “multiple calls” regarding gunfire inside the Show Me Center, according to a statement put out by the police department.
• 2:34 p.m.: Cape Girardeau officers who were not already on the scene arrive at the Show Me Center.
• While people are still screaming, Cape Girardeau Public Schools superintendent Howard Benyon tells the audience to "Please calm down. We’ll find out if that was just the balloons. Everyone, please calm down." Witnesses reported that Benyon tells the crowd many times to remain seated over the next several minutes.
• 2:38 p.m.: Person detained. Scene secure for medical personnel to enter the Show Me Center.
• 2:39 p.m.: Police and EMS are seen treating a victim inside the facility near a concession stand in the concourse. The victim is a man wearing a black Raiders Darren Waller football jersey. In a video posted on social media, at least 11 first responders, including police, are seen around the victim, some of whom are tending to wounds. One officer can be seen with a gun unholstered. Others are carrying rifles.
• Later, a witness captured video of a second victim, also a man, in a blue shirt and khaki shorts. He is tended to outside the Show Me Center. Images posted to social media show the victim with his calf wrapped up. Both victims would be transferred to a hospital for treatment.
• 2:41 p.m.: Police officers find a bullet casing, (time according to photo data taken around the time when a Show Me Center employee told people standing near the victim that a single casing was found.)
• 2:47 p.m. (approximate time): School district officials tell people still in the arena that the graduation is postponed and will be rescheduled. The crowd begins to disperse.
• 4:28 p.m.: Cape Girardeau Public Schools issues the following statement on its Facebook page, attributed to Benyon:

"Dear CGPS Families and Staff, During our graduation ceremony today at the Show-Me Center, an altercation occurred forcing us to stop the ceremony and evacuate the building.

"Fortunately, no students or staff members were injured and thanks to the assistance of staff members at the Show-Me Center, we were able to get everyone out of the building safely. We are thankful for the quick response of our school resource officers who were already at the Show-Me Center and for Cape Police Department officers who responded to the call.

"We will be forced to reschedule the graduation ceremony at a later time. Please be patient with us as we work through this situation. We want to plan an event that celebrates our graduates the way they deserve, but our priority at this time is working with police to aid in their investigation of this situation. Sincerely, Dr. Howard Benyon, Superintendent"

• 6:15 p.m.: Cape Girardeau Public Schools announces it will cancel school Monday, May 20, for students, as well as all after-school activities.
• 6:56 p.m.: Cape Girardeau Police Department announces on its Facebook page that the Major Case Squad has been activated to investigate the shooting. In the announcement, the Cape Girardeau PD announces that officers with the Cape Girardeau Police Department, Southeast Missouri State University Department of Public Safety, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office, state Highway Patrol, Jackson Police Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene to assist in building security and crowd control.

Monday morning, May 21

• Cape Girardeau Public Schools announced the Career and Technology Center would postpone its graduation for nursing graduates.
• Even though the district canceled classes for students, the district, acknowledging the trauma that took place at the graduation, announced it had counselors available to help students process what happened.

Monday afternoon

​n Southeast Missouri State University, which operates the Show Me Center, put out this statement: “Southeast Missouri State University is saddened by the events that happened at the Cape Central graduation ceremony yesterday at the Show Me Center. SEMO has safety protocols and procedures in place, and we are reviewing those and will make any changes deemed appropriate. We will keep our community informed of any updates. We have no further comment since this is an ongoing investigation.”

• School district leaders address the public in a news conference. No new graduation date has been set. The district announced that classes are canceled across the school district for at least another day. It was also announced that school will resume for a half day Wednesday, May 22, for “closure” of the school year.
• Assistant superintendent Josh Crowell, who is in charge of student safety at the district, in response to a question about metal detectors being potentially used at a future graduation ceremony, said the district is assessing what happened and will “look at new processes, procedures and protocols and implement those accordingly”, adding, “There will be various changes that we will spread over our campus and buildings” going into next school year.
• 4:30 p.m.: The Cape Girardeau Police Department announces on its Facebook page that two men have been charged in connection to the shooting. Kris E. Owens, 20, was charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action; and Christopher J. Owens with loitering within 500 feet of school property as a registered sex offender.
• 5 p.m.: At a Cape Girardeau City Council meeting, Mayor Stacy Kinder addresses the topic of gun violence in the city.
• 6 p.m.: The Cape Girardeau Board of Education meets.

Reporters Bob Miller, Christopher Borro, Keenan Baker and J.C. Reeves contributed to this report.