Columbia police said a suspect now in custody punched and shot a 73-year-old homeless man with paintballs before stabbing him multiple times and leaving him in critical condition.

Boone County prosecutors charged 28-year-old Jessie Randall Williams on Wednesday with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Williams was arrested Monday after barricading himself in a room at the Welcome Inn in the 1600 block of Providence Road and is currently being held in the county jail without the possibility of bond.

Columbia police officer Alan Mitchell wrote in a probable cause statement following charges that the 73-year-old victim was asleep in his sleeping bag early Sunday under the Rangeline Street bridge over Bear Creek Trail when he was attacked.

The victim told police he did not know his attacker, later identified as Williams, but said he was wearing a long black coat and hat. The victim told police Williams punched him in the face, shot him with a paintball gun and stabbed him multiple times.

Police brought a K-9 unit to the scene that located a black coat and camouflage “wide-brimmed” hat. The coat, according to the affidavit, had multiple blood stains as well as paint similar in color to the paintballs shot at the victim. Inside the coat pocket was a prepaid debit card with Williams’s name and a Welcome Inn keycard.

Mitchell wrote that police traced a purchase of paintballs made on the debit card to a local store and surveillance video showed the purchase appeared to be made by Williams. Police went to the Welcome Inn, where hotel staff said Williams lost his keycard and was given a new one.

When officers responded to the room, Williams refused to exit and locked himself in the bathroom. Crisis negotiation and SWAT teams were called to assist and a short time after their arrival Williams surrendered without incident.

Williams did not know the victim, making it a “random attack,” according to the affidavit. No attorney is listed for him in court records. He was scheduled to appear at arraignment before judge Michael Bradley at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The victim in the attack was transported Sunday to a local hospital in critical condition. Police located him about 1:42 a.m. Sunday at the Casey’s General Store in the 2500 block of Rangeline Street with multiple stab wounds.

ppratt@columbiatribune.com.

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