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Two more arrests have been made in connection with the June 4 shooting at the Shell gas station in Eatonton. Both arrests were made on Sept. 18, one in New York City and the other at Jimmy Davis Park in Eatonton.
In the process of the arrest in Eatonton, guns were found that allegedly were involved in not only the Eatonton shooting but in other shootings in neighboring Baldwin County, authorities say.
The case’s history
A few minutes before 2 a.m. on June 4, about 10 people were in front of the Shell station on Sumter Street, when another group walked by and began firing guns, shooting out windows and car windows.
No one was injured even though more than 30 shell casings of different gun types were found around the scene by law enforcement officers. The two groups were rival gang members belonging to the Gangster Disciples and Bloods in Milledgeville, according to Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell.
Security video footage from the gas station led investigators on June 6 to arrest Jaquavious Drayman Solomon, 17, and Miyah Angelo Pittman, 19, both of Milledgeville. Solomon is facing multiple counts of aggravated assault, cruelty to children first degree and criminal damage to property second degree.
Pittman was facing multiple counts of aggravated assault – party to a crime, criminal damage to property – party to a crime, cruelty to children – party to a crime. She was released on bond but was arrested again on Sept. 17 when more counts of the same charges were added.
“We found more victims who were at the Shell station when the bullets were flying, so we charged her with those crimes as well, and she’s back in jail now,” Cardwell explained.
New arrest in New York
Cardwell said he, his officers, and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office never stopped investigating the shooting and have worked on it almost daily. He said they initially had “a person of interest,” named Gary Howard, but needed sufficient evidence.
“When I felt like I had enough evidence to charge him, we went to Baldwin County to arrest him, but he had fled to New York City,” Cardwell said.
“So, I contacted the U.S. Marshals yesterday and he was arrested within four hours in New York City and is waiting to be extradited here.”
Arrest in Eatonton
Also on Monday, police discovered a music video was being shot at Jimmy Davis Park, and a person in the video was another one of their suspects in the Shell gas station shooting.
The suspect’s name is being withheld because he is only 15 years old.
Not only was the juvenile wanted for involvement in the Eatonton shooting, but he had 14 active warrants in Baldwin County, according to Cardwell.
So around 5 p.m., Cardwell and Officers Rebecca Meeks and Alex Rickey went to Jimmy Davis Park and arrested the 15-year-old, and he was taken to juvenile court officials.
Guns found, others arrested
Eight people were making the video at the park, Cardwell said; and during their investigation there, guns were found, and other arrests were subsequently made, not in connection with the Eatonton Shell station shooting.
According to Cardwell: Alquayveon Shinholster was at the scene and also had active warrants out of Baldwin and Wilkinson counties for aggravated assault, so he was arrested and transported to Baldwin County.
A Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 that was found in the possession of Montavious Tristen Williams was reported stolen. So, Williams, 18, of South Elbert Street, Milledgeville, was charged with theft by receiving stolen property and taken to Putnam County Jail.
Another handgun found a Glock 19, had been modified with a fully automatic selector switch, making it illegal. Javan Mitchell, 20, of Barnes Avenue, Milledgeville, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and taken to Putnam County Jail.
Other guns confiscated at the video-making scene in the park include an AR-style pistol, a 9mm Glock 43, and a Taurus PT140.
Rickey said that as he was logging the various firearms in the G.C.I.C. database, he learned they had been used not only in the Shell station shooting but in multiple shootings in Milledgeville or Baldwin County.
Police chief’s gratitude
After the arrests were made, Lt. Harry Luke with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, officers with Milledgeville Police Department, and special agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation came to assist with the processing of the arrests, and Cardwell expressed his gratitude for their help in the investigation.
“I appreciate the hard work of Officers Rickey and Meeks,” he added.
“Understand that the officers pull up on a scene like this and know that this stuff (guns) are there. It takes something for them to willingly go in because they’ve got families at home.”
Cardwell also wanted to recognize his office staff who helped during and after the incident, and Officer Howard Clemons who came in to work the other officers’ beats so they could get their reports completed.
But the job isn’t done.
“The June 4th shooting case is still ongoing; we’re looking to make more arrests,” Cardwell said.