Cape teen killed in shooting

~ The homicide is being investigated by the Major Case Squad.

A 17-year-old boy was killed behind a Cape Girardeau furniture store Wednesday night.

The death of the boy behind Du-Shell's Furniture, 2103 William St., appeared to be the result of a gunshot, according to Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton.

The death was a homicide, according to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Barry Hovis. Police did not have any suspects in custody or a description of the killer as of 10:30 p.m., he said.

The Cape Girardeau boy was pronounced dead at 9:05 p.m., and an autopsy will be conducted today in Farmington, Clifton said.

The teen was identified, but his name was being withheld pending family notification, Hovis said.

Police received a report of a fight and shots fired at about 8:20 p.m. at Good Hope Street and Spring Avenue, just south of where the body was discovered, Hovis said.

Five to six gun shots were reported, and two people were seen running from the scene, according to Hovis.

Police were searching the area where the shots were reported when a man walked toward the officers and told them his friend had been shot, Hovis said.

The Major Case Squad was activated to investigate the death.

One person was placed in a police car without handcuffs and taken away from the scene. He was not a suspect, officers at the scene said.

The gunshot death is the city's first since Jan. 1, 2004, when Anton S. Miller died outside the Taste nightclub. Miller was shot several times after a fight in the after-hours nightclub, which the owner shut down shortly afterward.

Wednesday night, six police squad cars blocked the alley behind Du-Shell's on both sides as officers took photos of the scene and sifted through trash near a Dumpster. Yellow police tape stretched in a perimeter east from the furniture building into residential yards on the south side of the alley.

Police also cordoned off the parking lot of Pendleton Heritage Square, 2117 William St., to the west of Du-Shell's.

Shortly before 10 p.m., officers were interviewing a man and a woman, who appeared to be crying, in the parking lot behind Rhodes 101 at 2109 William St.

Staff writer Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126