All is quiet in Wellston after gun-flourishing tussle Friday
By Patrick M. O'Connell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
08/03/2008

WELLSTON — All was quiet Saturday at the Wellston city hall and police station, a day after the new police chief and former chief got into a brawl there.

City officials were mostly mum about the scuffle, in which both men pulled out pistols. No shots were fired, and no arrests have been made.

Wellston Mayor Frank McNeil, who tried to break up the fight, confirmed the tussle was between the newly appointed chief, Brian Gillmore, and the recently demoted chief, Robert Cossia.

The two began pushing each other Friday afternoon in a meeting room inside City Hall. Then pistols were drawn, said Pine Lawn Police Chief Rickey Collins, whose department is investigating.

McNeil, who spoke briefly Saturday with a reporter through the front porch door of his home, said he did not know what sparked the fight.

"I have no idea," McNeil said.

McNeil became overexerted because of a heart condition when he tried to stop the fight, Collins said Friday. The mayor was treated by an ambulance crew at the scene.

"I'm doing fine," McNeil said. He declined to answer any additional questions, referring the reporter to a prepared statement that was he said was available at City Hall.

A woman who answered the door at City Hall distributed the statement and did not talk about the details of the fight.

"First and foremost, I want to assure the citizens of Wellston that our city is, as always, being protected," the statement read. "The safety of this community and its citizens is my first concern. Secondly, the confrontation between the two police officers was an unfortunate occurrence, and will be dealt with as soon as the investigation is completed."

Collins said Friday his department is investigating the altercation at the request of the St. Louis County prosecutor's office. Attempts to reach Cossia and Gillmore were unsuccessful.

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