ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — The gunman shot by police in Wentzville on Wednesday has been named, and he faces kidnapping and several other felony charges, according to police.
The armed man, 53-year-old Daniel Phillips, was sought in connection to a Lincoln County kidnapping case when he threatened to harm himself in the back seat of someone else's car.
According to court records, Phillips began harassing an ex-girlfriend Tuesday night by going to her house. Hours later, while Phillip's ex-girlfriend dropped off their child at preschool, he waited in her car armed with a gun. That's when he kidnapped her at gunpoint and held her for before letting her go an hour later, the documents said.
Despite Phillips' threats, his ex-girlfriend reported the kidnapping to the police.
Later, a pair of people had offered him a ride before learning he was then a person of interest in a kidnapping investigation.
After getting a phone call with that information, the pair pulled into the AutoZone parking lot in the 1200 block of West Pearce Boulevard and left the car.
Officers with the Wentzville Police Department were sent to the scene, in what police called a busy part of town during rush hour to handle the situation.
Knowing that the suspect was an armed, wanted man, the officers and Phillips, who was threatening self-harm, spoke for a long period of time.
According to police, Philips was not cooperating with the officers at the scene.
At some point, police opened fire and wounded the gunman, but Philips had not flourished or aimed the gun at the officers. Philips did not return fire.
He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Wednesday evening. On Thursday, he was released from the hospital and was being held at the St. Charles County Jail.
The St. Charles County Prosecutor charged Phillips with two felonies:
- Unlawful use of a weapon - exhibiting, a class E felony
- Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a class D felony
The Lincoln County Prosecutor charged Phillips with two felonies and a misdemeanor:
- Kidnapping-1st degree, a class A felony
- Armed criminal action, an unclassified felony
- Domestic assault - 4th Degree - 1st or 2nd offense, a misdemeanor.