MAN GETS 10 YEARS FOR BOTCHED ROBBERY, KIDNAPPING ATTEMPT

JACKSON, Mo. -- An 18-year-old man who brandished a handgun in a grocery store and attempted to kidnap a man was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the Cape Girardeau County prosecutor said.

Shamir Houston of Ullin, Ill., was found guilty of unlawful use of a weapon and attempted kidnapping by Judge William Syler on Monday, prosecutor Morley Swingle said.

Houston was trying to steal a bottle of liquor from Schnucks grocery store in Cape Girardeau on Aug. 17 when he was caught by store employees. As he was being held in an office for police, Houston pulled out a loaded .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol.

The two men who had detained him ran down stairs yelling for everyone to leave the store while Houston followed behind them. He waved the gun at employees and customers, and ran toward an exit.

In the parking lot, Houston opened the door of a car and pointed his gun at the couple inside. They slammed the door.

Seeing a pickup truck in the drive-through lane of Long John Silver's fast food restaurant, Houston ran to it, opened the door and got in.

He pointed his gun at driver Christopher O'Connell and ordered him to drive.

O'Connell, a 37-year-old construction worker, refused. When he noticed Houston's eyes were distracted by the reflection of flashing red lights from approaching police cars, O'Connell grabbed the weapon with one hand and punched Houston with the other.

"Shamir Houston picked the wrong person to try to kidnap," Swingle said.