In the quiet college town of Warrensburg, Missouri, the life of 20-year-old Stephon Abron, a male student at the University of Central Missouri, was tragically cut short on November 4, 2019. Abron, an aviation major with dreams of becoming a pilot, was fatally wounded in what was described by authorities as an accidental shooting inside his on-campus apartment at the Greenwood Park Apartments.
The incident, which occurred around 3:30 p.m., sent shockwaves through the university community.
The person responsible for the discharge of the firearm was identified as another student, 24-year-old Jeremy Allen Manley. According to reports, Manley was visiting Abron's apartment and was in the process of showing him a 9mm handgun when the weapon discharged, striking Abron. Abron's roommate was also present at the time of the incident. Despite immediate efforts to render aid, Abron was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the wake of the shooting, Manley was taken into custody by the university's Department of Public Safety. The Johnson County Prosecuting Attorney later filed a charge of second-degree involuntary manslaughter against him. The investigation concluded that the tragedy could have been averted had proper firearm safety protocols been observed.
Ultimately, the legal proceedings in the case concluded with Jeremy Manley accepting responsibility for his actions. On January 13, 2021, Manley pleaded guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter. The court sentenced him to a four-year term in the Department of Corrections. However, the execution of the sentence was suspended, and Manley was instead placed on five years of supervised probation, which included a period of 120 days of shock incarceration in the county jail.
