Key Takeaways
- Two armed residents confronted a shooter in a Price Chopper parking lot on Memorial Day, saving lives by holding him at gunpoint until police arrived.
- The shooter, Allen Prince, was charged with first-degree murder and had a prior harassment charge that prohibited him from possessing firearms.
- The shooting appeared random, and police have not established a motive or connection between Prince and the victims.
- Local residents praised the two men for their actions, emphasizing the importance of responsible gun ownership during such incidents.
- Prince remains jailed without bond and made his first court appearance via video without speaking.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
PLEASANT HILL, MO — Two legally armed residents drew their own pistols and confronted a shooter in a Price Chopper parking lot on Memorial Day, then held him at gunpoint until officers arrived about a minute later.
Police say the May 25 attack killed 45-year-old Amy Coon of Strasburg and wounded a 16-year-old store employee. The Cass County Prosecutor’s Office has charged 27-year-old Allen Prince of Pleasant Hill with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and three counts of armed criminal action.
According to charging documents, Prince got out of his car with a bolt-action rifle just before 4:30 p.m. and opened fire on Coon and the teen as they ran. Police Chief Tommy Wright says Prince turned the gun on himself after the two armed residents confronted him. Prince was hospitalized, then released and booked into the Cass County Jail with no bond.
Investigators say the shooting appears random. They have not established a motive or any connection between Prince and the two victims.
Here is the part that matters to me. Two men carrying their own firearms did not wait it out. One told investigators he was getting into his truck when he heard what he thought were fireworks, then looked over and saw the danger. Both drew their pistols, moved toward the threat, and held Prince until police and medics arrived.
Chief Wright has not released the two men’s names, citing their privacy. Both reportedly declined to be interviewed on camera.
More from USA Carry:
Prince should not have had a gun at all. Court records show he was out on bond on a pending first-degree harassment charge from September 2025, filed after deputies were called to a Pleasant Hill home over a threat to a family member. His release conditions barred him from possessing firearms. He had a rifle in a grocery store parking lot anyway.
That is the whole point. A court order on paper did not stop him. Two lawful gun owners who happened to be standing in that parking lot did.
The department’s update drew hundreds of comments thanking the two men. “Those two citizens saved many lives yesterday,” one wrote. Another put it the way I would: “This is why I carry my Glock everywhere.” A few asked the community to respect the men’s wish to stay anonymous, noting they may not want the recognition.
Prince made his first court appearance June 3 by video and did not speak audibly. He remains jailed without bond.
