Law enforcement is on the hunt for a 24-year-old Missouri woman wanted in connection to a shooting that injured two people at a Blue Springs hotel. Samantha J. Thrasher is facing first-degree felony assault and armed criminal action charges stemming from a May 20 incident at the SureStay Plus Hotel, where a 36-year-old man and a 7-year-old girl received gunshot wounds.
According to authorities, the incident began when Thrasher almost ran over the victims with her tan Chevrolet Tahoe, after which the woman entered the hotel lobby and demanded a refund for her room. When the employee informed Thrasher that a manager had to provide a refund, the two became engaged in a heated argument, and Thrasher allegedly grabbed her by the hair. Soon, the male victim tried to intervene, taking Thrasher to the hotel’s front door, at this point, Thrasher reportedly hit him with a fist.
Surveillance footage then showed Thrasher opening the passenger side door of her vehicle and rummaging through something before producing a gun. She then reentered the hotel lobby and fired several shots from the pistol; the man and the girl were both hit by shrapnel.
After the shooting, the male victim was rushed to a hospital and underwent surgery in the intensive care unit, and the girl was taken to a specialized children’s hospital. Evidence collection for the case is ongoing, with authorities recovering four spent .40 caliber casings in the hotel lobby and a live .40 caliber cartridge in the parking lot.
Police have issued an arrest warrant for Thrasher and requested a $200,000, 10% bond. People who have seen Thrasher are urged to call the police rather than try to apprehend the suspect.