CARTHAGE, Mo. — A Carthage man is in critical condition at Mercy Joplin with 21 gunshot wounds, while the two brothers who are charged with shooting him are being held without bond at the Jasper County Detention Center.
The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney’s office filed assault and armed criminal action charges against Dylan Jay Hershey, 23, and Hunter Wayne Hershey, 19, both of Carthage, following the shooting which took place Tuesday evening at the 400 block of South Orner.
Carthage Police arrived to find Austin Hodge, 27, lying in the front yard. Hodge was taken by ambulance to Mercy Joplin.
From Dylan Hershey’s probable cause statement:
One male was detained on scene, who was later identified as {Hunter Hershey} secured in the backseat of a patrol vehicle on scene. {He} complied with officer commands on scene and was detained without incident. {He}was later transported to the Carthage Police Department for further questioning.
While on scene detectives were contacted by a male who stated that his son, who he identified as Dylan Hershey, had fled the scene was back at his residence approximately 1 block away. Detectives later responded and contacted Dylan at the residence, and he agreed to come to the station for questioning. Dylan was openly carrying a firearm on his person.
Detectives photographed and seized the firearm. While photographing the firearm, it was observed that two rounds were missing from the magazine and that they were nickel cased 9mm rounds.
While at the station, Dylan was advised of his Rights per Miranda, to which he advised that he understood. Dylan then requested his attorney and refused to speak with investigators. No other questions were asked involving the incident and a search warrant was obtained for gunshot residue swabs.
While Dylan was at the station, detectives were processing the crime scene and located 3 spent 9mm round casings that were nickel cased, matching the ammunition from the magazine in Dylan’s firearm.
During the subsequent investigation, Witness 1 was on scene and present for the entirety of the incident. Witness 1 was standing on the passenger side of a vehicle in the driveway while the victim was sitting in the driver seat. Witness 1 observed Dylan pull a firearm from his person and point it at the victim through the driver side window telling them to get out or they were going to shoot him.
Witness 1 then observed Dylan and the victim physically fighting while Dylan was still holding the firearm. Witness 1 then heard one gunshot and observed the victim running away from Dylan and Defendant 2.
Witness 1 observed Dylan and Defendant 2 continue to shoot the victim as he was running away. Witness 1 identified Defendant 2 and Dylan Hershey as the two males who brandished firearms and also observed them shooting the victim. Witness 1 observed Dylan fleeing the scene prior to officer arrival, and observed Defendant 2 remain on scene waiting for law enforcement. Witness 1 had been on scene with Dylan and Defendant 2 prior to the victim’s arrival. Dylan and Defendant 2 made comments that if the victim started problems they were going to shoot him and kill him. On duty hospital staff notated that there were 21 total gunshot wounds to the victim.
From Hunter Hershey’s probable cause statement:
During a subsequent interview with Hunter, he corroborated the story of Witness 1. He recounted firing at the victim once he heard the first shot fired from Defendant 2. He said he continued to shoot the victim, while the victim was fleeing and crossed in front of bystanders and began to fall.
Hunter aimed lower so as to not hit the bystanders and continued shooting the victim until he was on the ground. Hunter left his weapon on the front porch and walked past the victim on the road without attempting to render aid to the victim.
Originally appeared on The Turner Report
