Authorities in west Georgia have arrested one suspect in connection with a shooting last month that left 10 people wounded at a Meriwether County event center.
The Meriwether County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday that 22-year-old LaGrange resident Tommie Thornton had been charged with nine counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His arrest marks the first in the investigation surrounding the Sept. 27 shooting at the Hill Haven Event Center in Greenville, which is about 60 miles southwest of Atlanta.
Investigators believe a gambling dispute preceded several people pulling out guns and firing “indiscriminate shots” inside the crowded establishment, which had been rented out for a birthday party. Five women and five men were injured.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Meriwether County Sheriff Chuck Smith said the investigation was ongoing and additional arrests were expected. He thanked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, LaGrange Police Department and Troup County Sheriff’s Office for their continued assistance in the case.
Physical evidence found in Troup County several days after the shooting helped identify Thornton as a suspect, the sheriff said.
“Our investigators have certainly stepped up in tracking down these leads, often times with reluctant or uncooperative victims and witnesses,” Smith said.
The Hill Haven Event Center had its business license revoked following the shooting, during which alcohol was reportedly on-site. County officials said the center did not have an alcohol license.
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