Scott City man accused of pointing shotgun at woman

A Scott City man entered an apartment about midnight Monday in the 1900 block of Kingshighway and pointed a 12-gauge shotgun at his ex-girlfriend, police said.

Cape Girardeau police on Monday arrested Nicholas Dean Palmer, 20.

The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Palmer with unlawful use of a weapon.

His bond was set at $7,500 cash or surety.

Palmer’s ex-girlfriend was in the apartment with two men and another woman, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case by Cape Girardeau Police Sgt. Keith Green.

The victim said Palmer pointed the shotgun at her and demanded she come outside, Green wrote.

One of the men said Palmer racked a gun and took it off safety mode, according to the statement. The two men said they talked to Palmer and took away the gun, Green wrote.

The other man and the female witness said Palmer was pointing the gun at several people, according to the statement.

Palmer told police he went to the apartment because he heard one of the men at the apartment had sexually assaulted his ex-girlfriend, Green wrote.

Palmer said he only took the shotgun because he knew guns would be in the apartment, and he kept the shotgun at his side, according to the statement.

Palmer said he thought the gun was unloaded, but officers said one shell was in the weapon, Green wrote.

Palmer was detained on suspicion of first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action, according to public-information officer Richard McCall.

McCall said there was no record of the victim requesting a report or making a statement to police about sexual assault at the scene or during a previous instance.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: 1900 block of Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO