Suspect in custody after shooting of two men in Cape

Chad V. Mcelrath, 39, of Cape Girardeau was taken into custody about 11 p.m. Saturday and charged with several felony counts after being accused of shooting two Cape Girardeau men earlier that evening.

Mcelrath is charged with two counts of Class A felony first-degree assault and two counts of felony armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, according to Cape Girardeau Police Department public-information officer Rick Schmidt.

Mcelrath’s bond was set at $150,000 with special conditions.

Emergency personnel responded to reports of two men with gunshot wounds at 5:34 p.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of South Pacific Street in Cape Girardeau, Schmidt said.

According to a probable-cause statement by Cape Girardeau police detective Jeff Lucas, one of the victims told law enforcement Mcelrath was with the men in a parked vehicle at 916 S. Ellis St. before the shooting.

First responders wheel a gunshot victim to an ambulance Saturday at 1003 S. Pacific St. in Cape Girardeau. Two victims were taken from the scene.BEN MATTHEWS

The victim said there have been issues in the past between him and Mcelrath because of a fight a few months ago, Lucas wrote.

According to the statement, Mcelrath asked the victim whether he was “OK with Mcelrath having a burner,” from which the victim believed Mcelrath was talking about having a gun.

Lucas wrote Mcelrath left the vehicle, and the men left, only to return a short time later.

Upon their return, the two men parked the car, and Mcelrath came back outside to speak with them before walking away, Lucas wrote.

According to the statement, one victim said, “the next thing he knew, Mcelrath was walking up to the passenger’s side of the car and started shooting at them.”

First responders answer a call Saturday at 1003 S. Pacific St. in Cape Girardeau. Two gunshot victims were taken from the scene.BEN MATTHEWS

Photographs from the scene show the victims’ vehicle with bullet holes in the passenger’s-side front window, and shell casings were recovered from the scene, Lucas wrote.

The two men ran from the car and got away from Mcelrath. They received emergency medical treatment from first responders in front of 1003 S. Pacific St. according to the statement.

South Pacific Street was closed from Linden to Locust streets while first responders treated the victims and police investigated.

Schmidt thanked the community for cooperating with law enforcement and aiding in finding and arresting the suspect.

“We always ask and beg and plead people to get involved and if they see something, say something to us,” Schmidt said. “It helps a lot when people get involved.”

bmatthews@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3652

Pertinent address:

1000 block of South Pacific Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.