The Columbia Police Department is searching for two suspects in connection to a shooting that left a woman seriously injured Sunday.
Several hours after the shooting, officers obtained warrants for Garrett Murray, 32, and Jeremy A. Ruff, 25, who are considered armed and dangerous.
Murray is wanted for unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. Ruff is wanted for unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and first-degree tampering. Cash bonds for each man are set at $300,000. Police were able to identify the men and issue warrants for their arrests after receiving information from anonymous witnesses, CPD spokesman Joseph Bernhard said.
At 1:51 a.m. Sunday, CPD officers responded to possible shots fired and an apparent shooting victim at the 900 block of Business Loop 70 East. Bernhard said a 22-year-old female was shot twice in the back while sitting in her car. According the news release, it does not appear the victim was the target of the shooting.
Officers received information that a white SUV and a smaller gray vehicle exchanged gunfire, Bernhard said. They later found spent shell casings on the street in front of the shooting site.
Details on how the victim ended up in the line of gunfire remain unclear.
“We don’t know whether she was between (Murray and Ruff) or if maybe one missed the other person and then hit her,” Bernhard said.
The victim was transported by ambulance to the University of Missouri Hospital, where she is now in stable condition.
At this time there is no known motive for the shooting, but Bernhard said the suspects may have been acquaintances.
“It has to be somehow that Murray and Ruff know each other and have a feud, but I don’t know what it’s over or how long it was,” Bernhard said.
The case remains under investigation by CPD’s Criminal Investigation Division. Bernhard said no further updates are available at this time.
Both Murray and Ruff have previously been charged with felonies. Since 1997, Murray has been convicted of second-degree robbery, felony drug charges, resisting felony arrest and possessing or discharging a loaded firearm while intoxicated. He served seven years in prison for the robbery, along with three concurrent years for resisting arrest. Ruff faced a felony drug charge in 2008 and was sentenced to five year’s probation, according to court documents.
Anyone with information related to the shooting or the location of the suspects is asked to contact the Columbia Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 573-875-TIPS or 875TIPS.com.
