A Mountain Grove man is facing charges after police say he violently attacked another man inside a retail store on Saturday evening. According to a probable cause statement filed in Wright County, officers reviewed surveillance footage showing Zachary Daniel Hankins‑Thurman approaching the victim in the electronics aisle and immediately shoving him to the ground before repeatedly striking him.
Investigators say the video shows Hankins‑Thurman punching the victim in the head and neck around 14 times, then picking him up and slamming him to the floor while threatening to kill him. The report states he returned to assault the victim again, kicking and stomping him multiple times. The victim declined medical treatment and told officers he wished to pursue charges.
Police later located Hankins‑Thurman in a pickup truck and arrested him after he initially refused to exit the vehicle. He was transported to the Wright County Jail.
Hankins‑Thurman is charged with third‑degree assault, and his bond is set at $25,000.
