At approximately 12:20 p.m. Sunday, a West Plains police officer patrolling the Broadway Avenue area observed two men engaged in a verbal altercation in the roadway of nearby Missouri Avenue. One of the individuals flagged down the officer for assistance.
Upon exiting his patrol vehicle, the officer observed a man, identified as Gage Mayhall, standing on the roadside holding a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun pointed downward. According to the officer’s report, the firearm had a bullet in the chamber, making it capable of immediate discharge.
The second man involved in the incident told police he had been sitting with his personal belongings when Mayhall allegedly kicked over his sign. The situation escalated into a verbal argument, during which the man claims Mayhall removed a firearm and magazine from his waistband and pointed the weapon at him. The man stated he feared for his life.
Mayhall told officers that the other individual had approached him with a rock and that he drew his weapon in self-defense, denying that he ever pointed it at the man.
In addition to the firearm, police say Mayhall was found in possession of a grinder containing marijuana residue. Mayhall is under the legal age of 21 for possession.
Mayhall is facing charges of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and 4th Degree Assault.
