Howard County man charged for year-old Boone County drive-by shooting

A Howard County man is now charged with a shooting on the north end of Columbia that damaged several homes last year. 

D’Marte Thompson, 18, of Fayette, is charged with first-degree property damage and unlawful use of a weapon. 

The shooting happened in April of last year.  According to court documents, Thompson was in one of three vehicles that fired shots in the area of Alpine Ridge Drive and Dillon Drive.  Three homes on Alpine Drive and a vehicle were damaged by gunfire and one person at a home in Dillon Drive said they had to duck to avoid being hit by a bullet.

The Columbia Police Department says when officers arrived on the scene, they found more than 50 shell casings and recovered surveillance video of the incident.  In the video, they saw a vehicle that matches one that had been driven by Thompson.  Officers said the individuals inside the home on Dillon drive were feuding with Thompson and his associates.

In June of last year, an officer stopped Thompson for a traffic violation, and saw that there were bullet holes on the driver’s side of his vehicle.  The officer said a firearm that was used in the shooting was found during the stop.