The .40 caliber bullet holes in Chrystal Wilson’s 2002 Ford Taurus are proof that shots were fired. The Great Bend Police Department is still sorting out what actually happened at 12:30 a.m. Sunday at 1318 Macarthur Road.
On Tuesday, Detective David Bailey said the investigation was continuing. Meanwhile, Dennis Morrison and Jacob Keenan were in the Barton County Jail, and witnesses Vanity Gruber and Wilson were calling the Great Bend Tribune.
Recapping the original GBPD news release issued Monday: At 12:34 a.m. Sunday, officers were dispatched to the area in reference to shots fired. They learned Morrison had fired at a car Keenan was driving. Morrison was arrested for attempted murder; Keenan was arrested for aggravated burglary and criminal threat. The investigation was continuing, but lesser charges were being considered for both men.
Gruber, who identified herself Tuesday morning as Morrison’s wife in a voice mail transferred to Tribune Managing Editor Dale Hogg, said she was unhappy with that morning’s story because the newspaper was poking its nose into a painful incident and didn’t know the whole story. She said her husband was justified in firing shots at the car as Keenan left, because her daughter could have been hurt.
Investigating officers were told Keenan kicked in the door of the Macarthur Road home, and that the door hit both Morrison and a child. Morrison then came outside, and before Keenan was gone there were bullet holes in the front and back of his girl friend Wilson’s car.
A neighbor called 911, reporting he’d heard nine shots. Police later found where eight bullets had grazed or punctured parts of the Taurus.
Wilson and Keenan were later stopped in that car and Keenan was arrested, as was Morrison.
Wilson called the Tribune Tuesday afternoon. She was equally unhappy with what was in the newspaper, and offered to come by for an interview.
She said she was at the Macarthur Road house Saturday night, talking with her friend Gruber, when Morrison physically removed her from the house. Wilson agreed with Police Chief Dean Akings’ assessment that her friend, Keenan, “came back to basically settle the score.”
But Wilson said Keenan didn’t kick in the door. “Jacob did not make it to the house or even to the door,” she said. The fight came outside, and as Keenan started to drive off in Wilson’s car the shots were fired.
Wilson said she was still in the Gruber/Morrison yard, and when Keenan heard the gun clip empty he came back for her. She said they should have gone to the police but chose not to, and that she was driving to her house when they were pulled over in the 1900 block of 18th St., within the hour of the incident.
Police were still investigating the incident, but charges at the jail were amended Tuesday. Morrison’s bond was reduced from $300,000 to $50,000, on new charges of attempted voluntary manslaughter, two counts of criminal discharge of a firearm, two counts of battery, and criminal damage to property. Keenan’s bond was reduced from $20,000 to $1,000, with the new charges of two counts of battery, criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct. He was released Tuesday after posting bond through Ace Bail Bonding. Formal charges had not yet been filed against either man by the Barton County Attorney’s Office.
Chief Akings has asked any witnesses to Sunday’s altercation to call the Great Bend Police Department, 793-4120.