Police shooting becomes fatality
The Missouri Highway Patrol is investigating the shooting death of a 36-year-old Webb City man that allegedly occurred Thursday, Aug. 5,during an altercation with a Webb City police officer.
Dead is Aler Escobar, 36, of Webb City.
According to Police Chief Don Melton, at 9:15 p.m., two officers were called to the 800 block of East Fountain Road in Webb City in reference to trespassing and illegal dumping.
Upon their arrival, Melton says the officers encountered several subjects in a truck with a trailer. The truck had apparently been driven around a chain strung between to t-posts.
During an altercation, Melton says one of the subjects gained control of an officer’s Taser and began shocking the officer while the officer was on the ground.
Melton’s account continues: The subject attempted to gain control of the officer’s duty weapon, and the officer discharged his duty weapon, striking the subject once. The officer was able to gain control of the subject and, after securing the subject in handcuffs, began administering medical attention.
Aler Escobar was transported to the hospital by ambulance and later died as a result of his gunshot wound.
One of the officers was treated at a hospital and released. The other officer was treated by emergency medical technicians at the scene.
The Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office has filed a charge of resisting arrest and two charges of assulting a police officer against Maqueir Alincer Escobar-Velasquez, 32, of Carthage. He was being held on $100,000 bond.
Four other subjects detained at the scene have been interviewed and released without any charges at this time.
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