Mid-Missouri man faces assault, weapons counts

A man from California, Missouri, has been charged in connection with a weekend shooting in Callaway County involving a sheriff's deputy from that county.

On Monday, the Callaway County prosecuting attorney filed charges against Joshua Huddleston, 28.

The charges include first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon motivated by discrimination, unlawful use of a loaded weapon while intoxicated and armed criminal action.

Huddleston remains hospitalized and will be transported to the Callaway County Jail pending his medical release.

The warrant orders a bond of $100,000, cash only.

The Callaway County Sheriff's Office has requested the Missouri Highway Patrol to conduct the investigation with the deputy-involved shooting of Huddleston.

A Missouri Highway Patrol probable cause statement shows while at a private gathering of about 30-40 people, at 1806 Missouri 94, Jefferson City, Huddleston was involved in a verbal altercation while drunk.

This incident occurred when Huddleston began accusing an unidentified black male of making sexual comments toward his wife.

Huddleston produced a semi-automatic .40 caliber pistol and began making racial slurs directed at the unidentified black males in a threatening manner.

A witness from St. Louis attempted to de-escalate the situation verbally, by asking Huddleston to holster his firearm, but Huddlston aimed his pistol at the man's head and then reached down with his free hand and disarmed the man, who was carrying a pistol beneath his shirt.

After disarming the man, Huddleston trained both firearms at the man's head and verbally threatened to kill the man.

Another witness said he tried to approach Huddleston from behind and attempted physically to restrain him, resulting in Huddleston falling to the ground and losing control of one of the guns.

That's when all those inside the building fled on foot.

While the witnesses were fleeing, Huddleston regained his footing, pointed his gun in the direction of the witnesses and fired one round.

After officers arrived at the scene, Huddleston approached them with a gun, in a threatening manner. That's when a sheriff's deputy shot Huddleston.

The deputy, whose name is not being released, was placed on administrative leave, pending results of the investigation by the patrol.

He's identified only as a "veteran" and shift supervisor in the department.