Griffin police have arrested five men they believe were involved in a drive-by shooting that narrowly missed a 78-year-old woman this week.
The department on Tuesday posted home surveillance footage on social media and asked for help to identify the suspects who slowly drove by a home in the 200 block of North 5th Street earlier that morning and opened fire. Two women were inside the house at the time, and a bullet narrowly missed one of them, a 78-year-old, by mere inches, police said.
By Thursday, five men were in custody: Jeston Morgan and Christopher Walker, both 26, of Flovilla; Tyrone Gee, 21, also of Flovilla; Deontrez Shivers, 19, of Jackson; and Devin Brown, 20, of Atlanta, who police have identified as the driver.
Investigators believe the men are responsible for multiple shootings directed at houses and vehicles in the area, as well as in Butts County, according to a news release.
“While we do not believe that these individuals are solely responsible for our rash of shootings, we do believe that they have been significantly involved,” Griffin police Chief Mike Yates said. “We will continue our efforts as long as needed, and we will not reduce our pressure on those who are involved in criminal street gangs that victimize others in our hometown.”
So far, the men have been charged with aggravated assault, criminal damage to property and 21 counts of discharging a weapon on the property of another. Brown also faces multiple traffic charges.
Police expect to file more charges, including gang-related charges, as they continue testing the ballistic evidence in other cases involving drive-by shootings. The vehicle used in those cases matches the description of the vehicle used in Tuesday’s shooting, the release states.
“We will not let up on our efforts to eliminate this type of violence in our city, and we appreciate the assistance of our citizens and law enforcement partners as well,” the department said in a statement.
About the Author
