Charges upgraded in shooting that killed a 19-year-old Springfield man

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Charges have been upgraded in a shooting that killed 19-year-old Keontae Tureaud of Springfield.

According to court documents, 20-year-old Nikolai Janes was initially charged with second-degree assault and armed criminal action. As of July 7, his charges have been upgraded to first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.

On Saturday, July 1, Springfield police officers were sent to 214 W. Madison Street in reference to a shooting. When officers got there, they found Tureaud with a gunshot wound to the head. He died from those injuries on Monday.

According to the probable cause statement from the Springfield Police Department, Tureaud and Janes were smoking marijuana and drinking vodka while messing around with a handgun that had a laser. A witness told police they were pointing the laser around the room. The witness told police they saw Janes unload the handgun before the two started playing with it.

The witness told police while Janes was unloading the gun, Tureaud dropped a blunt and was told by others to call his girlfriend, an apparent game played if you drop a blunt.

According to the PC statement, after the phone call, Janes and Tureaud began messing around with the gun. play fighting. Janes got the gun from Tureaud and pointed it at the back of his head, and pulled the trigger. According to authorities, Janes made statements about not knowing the gun was loaded.

Janes declined to talk with police after being arrested but did tell an officer he had been drinking and said he felt drunk.

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