A 36-year-old Kansas City man is facing felony charges after police say he threw items from his vehicle, yelled at passing traffic, and struck two vehicles with a knife and hatchet outside a downtown Columbia bank Wednesday afternoon. Nicholas Francis, 36, was booked into the Boone County Jail following the midday disturbance outside Commerce Bank on East Broadway.
Columbia police officers were dispatched to the 900 block of East Broadway at approximately 12:48 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. According to court documents cited by KRCG, Francis threw items from his vehicle and yelled at passing cars before allegedly striking both his own vehicle and another vehicle with a knife and hatchet. The bank sits at 901 East Broadway, inside what's known locally as The District, Columbia's primary downtown commercial and entertainment corridor, according to Commerce Trust.
The disturbance unfolded around midday. Francis was arrested at the scene and was charged with second-degree terrorist threat along with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, per court records referenced by KRCG.
What the Charges Could Mean
Under Missouri Revised Statutes § 574.120, second-degree terrorist threat involves recklessly disregarding the risk of an evacuation, quarantine, or closure, according to Combs Waterkotte. The firm describes frightening ten or more people as a purpose prosecutors must prove for a first-degree terrorist threat. The statute does not require an explicit bomb or firearm threat to apply, the firm notes.
The unlawful use of a weapon charges stem from Missouri Revised Statutes § 571.030, which covers exhibiting a weapon in an angry or threatening manner in the presence of one or more persons, according to Rose Legal Services. Penalties for that offense range from a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail to a Class B felony, depending on the conduct, Rose Legal Services explains. The firm adds that Missouri's permitless carry law does not shield people who display weapons aggressively or threateningly in public.
Another Flashpoint in Downtown Columbia
Hoodline reported two weeks ago on a separate disturbance at a minimart during a downtown Columbia pop-up event, where a suspect was arrested after allegedly threatening a mass shooting and assaulting bystanders. And on September 1, Hoodline reported that Columbia police arrested a driver who intentionally drove a vehicle into a crowd outside downtown bars on South Seventh Street.
Statewide, weapons-related arrests are not rare. In 2025, law enforcement agencies in St. Louis alone recorded 4,386 weapons law violations, according to Rose Legal Services, which notes that prosecutors frequently rely on RSMo § 571.030 to address public safety threats involving weapons. Francis remains held at the Boone County Jail following his arrest.
