COLUMBIA, MO — Police in Columbia say eight people are now in custody after an early-morning Halloween shootout downtown that involved about 30 shots and left a 36-year-old woman with life-threatening injuries. Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude said investigators believe the violence was gang-related and may have stemmed from a family matter tied to the groups involved.

The gunfire broke out in an alley near Eighth and Walnut streets in the early hours of Halloween. Schlude said the scale of the shooting was striking, and investigators have described the video evidence as among the most disturbing they have seen. Police said the case remains active, with detectives still sorting through firearms, bullet evidence and surveillance footage.

Authorities say the alley shootout involved at least seven gunmen

Columbia police say at least seven people fired weapons during the incident. In a department news release, investigators said they recovered 11 firearms during the follow-up investigation, including AR-15 style pistols, and believe those weapons and the bullets will help connect additional suspects to the case.

Schlude said only one witness came forward to speak with detectives, making video especially important. Police obtained footage from private security systems, Flock Safety cameras and license plate readers. She said that combination of video helped officers reconstruct what happened in the alley and identify the people involved.

Police have not said that any business on the street was involved. Schlude said nearby businesses were closed, and investigators do not believe the suspects were seen entering or leaving any business in the area.

De'Koryon White faces the most serious charges in the case

Among those charged is De’Koryon White, 23, of Columbia, who police say fired shots that struck the victim. Court records show White was charged Tuesday with first-degree assault, discharging a firearm at a person and two counts of armed criminal action. Those charges were unsealed after his arrest Thursday.

Police say White is accused of firing into a crowd of 12 people from the alley. According to investigators, surveillance footage shows him standing at the alley entrance, pulling an AR-style pistol from a backpack and firing multiple rounds before fleeing and putting the gun back inside the bag.

White was being held in Boone County Jail and was expected to appear in court Friday afternoon. Police also said he had previously been arrested in August for possessing an AR-style pistol.

Court filings tie several other men to the Halloween gunfire

Other defendants face a mix of state and federal charges. Demarquen Allen, 28, was charged with armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon by exhibiting it. Police say surveillance from the west side of The Blue Note shows Allen in the alley drawing a gun and pointing it north toward Walnut Street before running away.

Iseah Jackson, 23, faces a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Police said he was identified as being present at the scene and was later arrested during a traffic stop after officers learned he had two outstanding warrants. Authorities have also identified Kelvin Clark, 22, Demarkus Cain Jr., 25, Treyvale Cain-Raybon, 21, Detravion Coats, 21, and a 16-year-old boy in connection with the shooting.

Court filings say Clark, Cain-Raybon and Coats each fired multiple shots, and that shell casings recovered at the scene matched casings seen falling from their guns in the video. Clark, Cain-Raybon and Coats all face assault and weapons charges, while the juvenile is also accused of armed criminal action, first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

Investigators say camera footage was critical because few witnesses came forward

Schlude said the footage gathered from city and private systems was essential because the shooting happened quickly and with little public cooperation. She called the video one of the most shocking she has seen in two decades in law enforcement, and said it gave investigators a way to trace movements, identify weapons and match suspects to the scene.

The police chief also said the department expects to continue using federal and local partnerships to pursue the case. She specifically mentioned working with agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Schlude said anyone who unlawfully possesses a firearm or uses one to endanger people in Columbia should expect investigators to use every available avenue to hold them accountable.

She asked anyone who saw the shooting to contact police and also requested help identifying another person believed to have been at the scene. Investigators have not said when or whether the video will be released to the public.

Police plan extra patrols as downtown recovers and game day approaches

Schlude said police will have extra officers out this weekend, pointing to the city’s routine practice of adding coverage on game days. She said the department is focused on preventing retaliation and reducing the chance of another violent incident downtown.

The Halloween shootout has also sharpened attention on public safety in Columbia’s downtown area. Schlude said city leaders want preventative action to stop further violence, while police continue to work through the evidence collected since the shooting. The recovered firearms, surveillance clips and shell casings are all being used to build out the broader case.

For now, investigators say the shooting remains active and additional arrests are possible as they connect the weapons, the video and the people seen at the scene. Police have not said when the investigation will be complete.