Weapon found in lake after accidental shot fired
By: LIVIE HALL
Managing Editor
A month after the events that transpired in Ferguson, Mo, St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley students Caitlin Mayhew and Destinn Marcarius Jacobs gave the school its own gun scare by accidentally firing a .45 caliber handgun in the Humanities building.
VIEW THE COMPLETE POLICE REPORT HERE: PoliceReport
An arrest record released on Tuesday, Sept. 9 said Mayhew was on the back patio of the Humanities building, smoking and listening to music with Jacobs and a female the record called “Tia.” In the report written by STLCC – Florissant Valley Police Officer David Berryman, Mayhew said Tia pulled a gun out of her handbag after Tia had described an argument she had with her boyfriend. She took the gun from him.
“Mayhew said that after she [Tia] pulled it out, Destinn said something like ‘Let me see it’ and then took the gun from her possession,” the record said. “She said Destinn began fondling with the gun and flipped a lever which revealed a red dot. She said Destinn said that meant the safety was on. He fondled with the gun some more at which time it fired.”
Mayhew said Jacobs fled to the woods near the building and then maintenance worker Byron Austin asked the girls what had happened. Austin was working on the roof of the building when the shot was fired. Mayhew said “I don’t know, but I’m out of here” and left with Tia.
Once apprehended, Jacobs admitted to throwing the weapon in the pond in the woods. According to the report, STLCC – Florissant Valley Police Chief Sandra Turner made the decision to call the Missouri Highway Patrol Marine Division to search the area.
Missouri Highway Patrol Marine Division Corporal Justin Wheatley said their department was called and then dismissed once STLCC – Florissant Valley police found the weapon. The police report said Jacobs showed campus police where he had thrown the gun. He originally said he threw it in the water, then said he might have thrown it on the bank. Berryman asked him if heard a splash, to which Jacobs said he could not remember.
Mayhew said the discharge was accidental. She would not give the last names of the two students, but said Tia’s name was Satia. Dispatcher Phyliss Clayborne identified Satia as Satia Hutton. Once the name was confirmed, the record said Hutton was a former student of STLCC – Florissant Valley. After preparing a written statement, Mayhew was released.
“We were able to resolve the situation quickly, gather witness and apprehend one of the suspects,” STLCC – Florissant Valley Police Chief Sandra Turner said. “It is resolved now and we want to assure our students that this campus is a safe and secure environment.”
The report said the gun was loaded with five live cartridges in the magazine. Berryman cleared the weapon and emptied it of all cartridges. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) “revealed no theft of the weapon.”
Jacobs was brought into questioning by Berryman and recounted the story the same as Mayhew told it the first time. He said after he ditched the gun, he went to a nearby QuikTrip to buy a beer and came back to campus to catch the bus where he was stopped by police. Berryman asked if Jacobs was a student and he said he was formerly.
That Friday morning, a tweet was sent from STLCC alerts saying there was an accidental gunshot on campus. Hours later, Director of Public Information and Marketing at STLCC – Florissant Valley Dan Kimack said he believed both St. Louis County and Ferguson Police Departments were involved in the investigation.
Media Relations Officer Brian Schellman with the St. Louis County Police Department confirmed that neither St. Louis County or Ferguson Police were involved in the investigation. Berryman said in the report he had called the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and spoke with APA Dave Truman. Truman said since the shot was accidental and the gun was never concealed that the state would not press charges.
Kimack said the campus was not placed on lockdown when the incident happened.
“The protocol in this situation was that we immediately alerted campus police who conducted a sweep and we did send out the alert which was to notify faculty, students and staff,” Kimack said.
The report said Jacobs was booked and charged with UUW/Discharging a Firearm Within City Limits. He was warned for trespassing. Attempts to locate Hutton will be made. The case is being forwarded to the Ferguson Municipal Court.
