The Beardstown man shot in head last week is out of the hospital and doing well.

He says 30-year-old Tom Demaree visited his co-workers at the Parkview Housing complex at 415 Clendenin today. He says the visit from Demaree lifted the spirits of the workers in the office and was a big step for the shooting victim.

Demaree was first listed in serious condition at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, and was eventually downgraded to fair condition before his release.

That’s the word from Beardstown Police Chief Tom Schlueter this afternoon.

Location of Beardstown shooting incident

The assisted living facility was the scene of a potentially deadly shooting that saw 25-year-old Brandon Jones of Beardstown shoot Demaree in the back of the head with a stolen handgun on March 4th.

The incident happened on the front lawn of the complex, and Schlueter described Demaree as a very lucky man. Jones was eventually arrested without incident after a foot chase about six blocks from the scene.

Demaree was Jones’ counselor through Cass County Human Resources, which had offices in the complex. Cass County operates the assisted living apartment facility where Jones had just moved the week prior.

Jones made his initial appearance in Cass County Court today.