Boone County Prosecutor: Man acted in self-defense in shooting of death of Ahmonta Harris

COLUMBIA — The Boone County Prosecutor's Office completed its review in a fatal shooting finding no wrongdoing by the man who killed Ahmonta Harris.

In a letter to the Boone County Sheriff's Department, prosecutor Dan Knight said Deonte Gainwell did not commit a crime for shooting Harris. Knight explained Gainwell was not arrested for the shooting and that no request to file charges against Gainwell was made to his office.

According to Knight's letter, Gainwell acted in self-defense as evidence "clearly shows that Harris unlawfully entered Gainwell's residence and attempted to rob Gainwell before Gainwell shot Harris" on Nov. 24.

"I will not prosecute a charge that is not supported by probable cause," Knight stated in the letter. "Further, the evidence proves that Gainwell did not commit a crime under Missouri Law for shooting Harris. Since there is no probable cause to believe Gainwell committed a crime by shooting Harris, he would not have been charged for this shooting"

To read the full letter from the Boone County prosecutor, see the document below.

Gainwell was shot and killed Jan. 17 in the 3700 block of Weymeyer Drive. A suspect has not been identified in the homicide investigation, according to Columbia police.