Aurora’s McGlothlin, 19, dies in shooting; 16-year-old suspect held

Aurora’s White Park scene of fatal shooting, immediate response from emergency personnel not enough to save victim
An Aurora man died after being shot at White Park on Friday, March 29. Garron McGlothin, 19, succumbed to his wounds at a hospital in Springfield, hours after he was shot.
According to a posting by Wes Coatney, chief of the Aurora-Marionville Police Department, officers were dispatched to White Park a little after 9 p.m. on March 29, where they found McGlothlin suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to the hospital by medical crews.
The suspect in the shooting, a 16-year-old male, was apprehended on Saturday, March 30 after a 14-hour manhunt. Because he is a juvenile, his name is not being released.
Coatney credited multiple law enforcement agencies with locating the suspect, including the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, whom he said “trudged through miles of city limits, desperately wanting to end this threat.” Also helping out was the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, whom Coatney said responded with drones and “dogs who scoured our city all night,” and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, whom Coatney said manned the perimeter “that ultimately resulted in us taking the suspect into custody.”
Coatney also praised his officer in the Aurora-Marionville Police Department, of whom he said three-fourths helped to find the suspect, some of whom had already worked all day.
Additionally, Coatney said, the incident showed the value of cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
“Without hesitation, these other agencies gave us manpower, expertise, and resources that are incredibly costly to obtain and operate,” he said. “But doing the right thing takes priority.  We are all safer today because these agencies made Aurora their jurisdiction, and our people’s safety their goal.”
Also, Coatney said, emergency medical personnel were on hand immediately as they worked desperately to save McGlothlin’s life.
“Within minutes, we had Mercy EMS and Aurora Fire on scene, helping us give lifesaving attempts and care to a victim with a terrible injury,” he said.
The Lawrence County Record will continue to report on this incident as more information becomes available.