Authorities have arrested a West Plains man in connection with a shooting incident. According to KYTV, 33-year-old Lee Nazarian was taken into custody Wednesday, and he faces charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. His bond is set at $500,000.
The victim, 29-year-old Christopher Wake, called police Tuesday evening from the West Plains Senior Center saying he had been shot. Officers arrived to find Wake in a vehicle bleeding from a single gunshot wound to his right knee. He was flown to a Springfield hospital.
Court documents show Wake originally told authorities he was shot by a man named “James.” He later said the shooting occurred less than a quarter mile south of the senior center at a residence on Locust Street. Wake told officers Nazarian shot twice at him inside the residence with the first shot missing. He also claimed a female hit him in the head with what he believed was a wine bottle.
Officers searched the residence and found no one inside, but the living and dining rooms appeared to be in disarray showing signs an altercation had occurred. Two .45 caliber shell casings were found in an umbrella holder just inside the front door, and a .45 caliber bullet was located in the front door frame.
Officers later interviewed a male who claimed he approached the residence when he heard two gunshots. The unidentified male reported he drove the area, picked Nazarian up a block north of the residence and drove to Nazarian’s residence.
Detectives conducted a phone interview with Wake. The victim said he believed Nazarian shot him because he was a witness against one of Nazarian’s associates in a previous shooting incident.
Documents show Nazarian had been free on bond for three pending felonies. He also has a reported history of possessing firearms, and he’s an alleged distributor of methamphetamine. He had been arrested once this year for armed robbery, and a second arrest was for drug trafficking.
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