Man surrenders after shooting, abduction


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/23/05

A man accused of going on a rampage inside a north Clayton County home surrendered Tuesday night to authorities in Greensboro, N.C.

Clayton police said Terrance McDowell forced his way into the house at 3 a.m. Tuesday, raped his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint, shot the woman's father eight times while he slept and abducted the woman's two small children.

Terrance McDowell
 
W.A. BRIDGES JR./AJC
Police were looking for a man accused of an attack Tuesday morning at a home on Kristen Court in Clayton County. Terrance McDowell surrendered to the FBI in Greensboro, N.C.
 
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The children were found unhurt in North Carolina, 12 hours later and 350 miles away. Police said McDowell apparently dropped Faith McDowell, 4, and Jaquan Wright, 5, at his sister's house in Greensboro. McDowell is the 4-year-old's father.

About 6 p.m. Tuesday, McDowell reportedly surrendered to the FBI in Greensboro. The arrest ended a manhunt that covered the Southeast.

Shooting victim Marshall Wright, 64, underwent surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta for gunshot wounds to his face and upper torso. He was listed in critical condition Tuesday evening.

The violence broke out early Tuesday morning in the Enchanted Forest subdivision in Conley, a blue-collar community north of Fort Gillem. Wright lives in the house on a cul-de-sac with his girlfriend, his 20-year-old daughter, two grandchildren and, until a few months ago, McDowell.

McDowell, 27, of College Park, began dating Wright's daughter when she was 14 or 15 and already a mother, said McDowell's cousin, Roderick Smith. Smith said McDowell acted like a father to both children.

McDowell, a welder, broke up with Wright's daughter Saturday after finding out she'd been dating other people, Smith said.

"He was upset yesterday and day before yesterday," Smith said. "He just lost it. He's a good dude."

But McDowell's ex-girlfriend said in a news conference Tuesday that their relationship ended in December. It is the Journal-Consti- tution's general policy not to publish the names of alleged victims of sexual assault.

She said McDowell came over Saturday night, became angry over photographs, assaulted her and broke a window. She said she called police and filed for a restraining order and arrest warrant on Monday. She said McDowell had assaulted her before.

"I just thank God my kids are safe," said the woman, teary-eyed and wearing fuzzy bedroom slippers. "I never knew he would get to this point."

Turner, the police spokesman, said McDowell showed up at the Kristen Court house with a 9mm handgun and raped his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint. After the assault, McDowell heard the father's girlfriend in the bathroom, Turner said.

McDowell forced his ex-girlfriend and Wright's girlfriend into the bedroom where Wright was sleeping, Turner said. McDowell shot Wright eight times in the face and upper torso, Turner said, and in those moments McDowell's ex-girlfriend ran to a neighbor's house.

McDowell put the two children into his ex-girlfriend's car and drove away, Turner said. The children were dropped off in Greensboro about 3 p.m., and McDowell gave up about three hours later.

Back in Conley, Wright's neighbors said they hoped he pulled through.

Roger Hammond, 62, went to school with Wright and lives within sight of the Wright home.

"He's a nice guy," Hammond said. "Kept to himself. He'd just retired too. He was a custodian at a school."

Hammond sighed as he watched television reports about the shooting.

"You look at television and it's always happening somewhere else," Hammond said. "Then it's right on your doorstep."

— Staff writers Add Seymour, Charles Yoo and Mike Morris contributed to this article.

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