Man dies in hotel lobby
A Moberly resident died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Published Nov. 8, 2006
A Moberly resident died in a local hotel lobby of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound only four days after his 30th birthday, according to a Columbia police news release.
Police were dispatched around 2 p.m. Sunday to the Drury Inn on Knipp Street near the Columbia Mall. The officers were responding to a report of a suicidal subject, Mandrell Baker, from a "concerned third party," the release stated.
The concerned caller was a female acquaintance of the victim who contacted police and reported he was suicidal, Columbia police Sgt. Brian Richenberger said.
"[The acquaintance] had been communicating with him on the telephone," Richenberger said.
After officers were dispatched to the Drury Inn, a hotel employee called police and said they had heard a loud bang in the lobby, Richenberger said.
According to the release, officers were told that a shot had been fired while they were still en route to the hotel.
When they arrived, the officers found Baker dead from what they said appeared to be a self-inflicted bullet wound to the head. The weapon used was a .38-caliber handgun, Richenberger said.
"I think he was having some issues with the acquaintance of his," Richenberger said. "I don't know the extent, but I think he was having personal problems."
Richenberger said he didn't think anyone was in the lobby to witness the shooting.
A representative from the Drury Inn declined to comment, but the hotel was still taking reservations as of Monday night.
Any further investigation will be conducted by the Major Crimes Unit of the Columbia police.