Four Teenagers in Custody After, At Least, Two Churches are Damaged…One Riddled by Gunfire

Four teenagers, including two juveniles, are being held without bond after the Clearview Church on Highway-E is riddled by gunfire over the weekend in Morgan County.

Sheriff Norman Dills says deputies responded early Saturday morning to a report of shots fired and, upon arrival, discovered spent 9-millimeter shell casings and obvious damage to the church. Reports indicated that more than 50 rounds had been fired into the church. It was also discovered that a church south of Latham, in Moniteau County, and another church in Morgan County were also damaged.

Four suspects were identified with two of them, 18-year-olds Bryce Martin, of Fortuna, and Zachary Stauffer, of Versailles, taken to the Morgan County Jail. They both face pending charges of first-degree property damage and armed criminal action while Martin is also charged with Unlawful Use of a Weapon. Two others, a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old, were taken to the Juvenile Justice Center in Camdenton.

The property damage is being charged as hate crime and the investigation continues.