United Group Insurance

Pott County shooting suspect arrested

News

June 20th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Craig Finney (photo provided by authorities in MO.)

A Macedonia man wanted in connection with the shooting of a rural Minden woman late last week was arrested Saturday morning, nearly 350-miles away, in Central Missouri, after authorities in the Ivy Bend area located an allegedly stolen, SUV he driving, and began conducting surveillance on a residence.

According to Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker, 50-year old Craig Finney was taken into custody in Morgan County, Missouri. Finney was wanted in connection with the shooting early Friday morning, of 48-year old Patricia Harker.

Danker says authorities in Morgan County, MO, were about to execute a search warrant at a home in the area, when Finney was observed leaving the residence at around 7-a.m., Saturday.

Finney allegedly broke into Harker’s home at around 2:20-a.m. Friday, and fired his shotgun at another man holed-up in a bathroom, before turning the weapon on Harker and shooting her in the shoulder. He then shot himself, before leaving the scene of the crime. Harker was transported to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs before being transferred to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, where she was recovering from serious injuries. Finney was being treated for his injuries at a facility in Missouri.

Danker says he’s amazed the man managed to make it to central Missouri, given the nature of his injuries.

When he’s eventually returned to Iowa, Finney will face two felony charges of attempted murder and one-felony charge of willful injury. Finney was Harker’s former boyfriend. A restraining order issued against him in July 2004 was rescinded four-months later. He later received a deferred judgment on domestic abuse-aggravated assault charges.