Poplar Bluff shooting leaves man critically injured in second clash between same two men
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo., (KBSI) — Poplar Bluff police are investigating a Tuesday afternoon shooting that left a 47-year-old man in critical but stable condition.
Officers were called at about 2:17 p.m. on Nov. 18 to the 1000 block of Franklin Street for a report of a person who had been shot. When officers arrived, they found Jason Knuckles, 47, of Poplar Bluff, with two gunshot wounds to the abdomen. He was briefly interviewed before EMS personnel transported him to a helipad, where he was flown to a St. Louis hospital.
Police later located the suspected shooter, Joshua Hoffmeister, 35, also of Poplar Bluff, and spoke with witnesses. Investigators determined Knuckles had physically assaulted Hoffmeister, who then fired a handgun, striking Knuckles.
Police said this is the second shooting involving the two men. In August 2024, Knuckles was shot after trespassing in Hoffmeister’s fenced backyard and approaching him in a threatening manner. That case was ruled justified.
As with the previous incident, the findings from the latest case will be reviewed with the Butler County Prosecuting Attorney before any charges are considered.
