Jun 12, 2018 2 min read

MONONGAHELA – A Monongahela man is facing charges he shot a graduation party guest in the foot early Sunday.

Monongahela police charged Stephen V. Rura, 24, after the victim’s friends took him to Mon Valley Hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound to his left foot, court records show.

Police were called to the hospital about 1 a.m. and then directed to Rura’s 307 E. Railroad St. residence, which is near where Brandon Burkhardt, 25, was shot, the affidavit states.

Burkhardt told police he was attending a graduation party there and Rura passed out beside a bonfire. Friends attempted to awaken Rura, and he allegedly told them to leave him alone while waving a .40-caliber handgun in the air.

The group again tried to awaken Rura, at which time he pointed the gun toward the ground and fired it, with the bullet striking the victim’s foot, police allege in court records.

A man who answered the door at Rura’s residence told police he wasn’t there, and that he was probably at a camper in nearby woods.

Officers brought in a police dog from California Borough to help find Rura after they spotted his hat near a fire outside the camper and saw blood on the ground and three .40-caliber bullet casings.

Rura eventually was found asleep on his bedroom floor with muddy feet when police returned there to look for the handgun, court records show. The weapon was found hidden under a shed on the property, police said.

Police charged Rura with aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with evidence.

He was placed in Washington County jail on $25,000 bond set by District Judge Mark Wilson.