Saturday incident at Hardee's was drug deal gone bad

(From the Joplin Police Department)

On 8-6-2016 at 1241 pm the Joplin Police Department received a 911 call of gunshots at 812 S Range Line Road (Hardees) involving three people.

As officers arrived in the area, they were told one subject had left the scene in a vehicle. That vehicle was stopped at 9th and Range Line and that subject claimed to be a victim of an attempted robbery that had just occurred on the lot.

The victim claimed that he was flagged down in Hardee's parking lot by a male that was not known to him. The victim stated when the unknown male made contact with him a second male appeared from behind a vehicle. He described the second male as white, approximately five feet ten inches tall wearing shorts and a t-shirt.

The second male allegedly approached the victim with a metal pipe, broke out the window of the victim’s car and demanded his personal belongings. The victim stated he was able to get a wooden bat from the vehicle and defend himself then reported that nothing had been stolen.

At that time, both subjects fled the scene on foot to the west. The victim reported to officers that no gun was involved in the incident.

Officers with the Joplin Police Department, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and Duquesne Police Department responded to the area to assist in locating the suspects.

A K-9 track led officers to the 2700 block of East 11th Street where a neighbor stated they observed a male matching the description of one of the suspects run into 2701 E 11th. A vehicle that officers observed circling the area was stopped and the occupants informed officers that two males were hiding in the residence.

Officers set up a perimeter around the house and began to call out the residents. After a few minutes two subjects came out and were detained. Once the two subjects were detained a detective with the Joplin Police Department conducted interviews and the victim responded to the scene.

After an investigation it was discovered that initial incident had not occurred as reported. It was also determined that the meeting at Hardee's was a pre-determined narcotic transaction where an argument began and resulted in property damage to the victim’s vehicle.

One of the subjects contacted at 2701 E 11th Street was determined to be present at the incident but is not considered a suspect at this time. The Joplin Police Department does not consider this to be a random act of violence and the people involved have been determined to be known associates.