A shooting at Williams Roberts Apartments Monday sent one to the hospital and landed a Columbus man behind bars. Jerry Lee Darnell, 43, of 2050 Highway 373 in Columbus, was arrested by Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office Monday and charged with two counts of aggravated assault or others means to produce death. He has not been released.
The shooting occurred around 3 p.m. Police scanner traffic said shots had been fired at William Roberts Apartments- near the intersection of Yorkville Road and Lehmberg Road- and a gunshot victim had been taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle in a private vehicle.
Darnell allegedly fled the scene in a maroon Mountaineer. He was apprehended at his home and charged with two counts of aggravated assault.
In 2010, Darnell pleaded guilty to felony fleeing of a law enforcement officer. His five years of probation were revoked, and he was sentenced to five years with Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Bernard Harris, the shooting victim, was released with minor injuries. He was also involved in a 2011 incident with James Demont Douglas, who was arrested for allegedly firing shots at Harris after an altercation. That shooting occurred near the intersection of Main Street and 9th Street.
Columbus Police Department officers also responded to an area near Byrnes Circle and Waterworks Road on Monday at around 3 a.m. after a report of a shot fired.
Upon arrival the officers spoke with Khrya Bush, who stated that he and Barry Crump had gotten into an argument and that Crump pulled out a gun and fired a shot. Bush stated that Crump was inside the residence at 268 Byrnes Circle. The officers walked up to the residence and met Jerome Reed who stated that he had gotten Crump to give him the gun. Crump allegedly went out the back door of the residence. Officers located Crump at the back of residence. The gun was called into 911, and the dispatcher informed the officers that there was a hit on the weapon in the national crime data base. Crump was immediately arrested for possession, sale, and transfer of a firearm. Warrants were checked on Barry Crump, Khrya Bush, and Jerome Reed. Reed had a warrant for contempt of court and he was placed him under arrest. They were both transported to the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center.
The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office also made the following arrest Monday:
The Columbus Police Department is investigating the following incidents:
Jones stated he walked to his car to charge his phone and was walking back to the house where he had been at a get-together. Jones said he looked back and noticed his car rolling to the stop sign at 10th Ave. and 20th street before the car then took a right and headed south on 20th street. An officer found the car on 21st Street and 6th Ave. North. Jones alleged he had a firearm under the driver’s seat but when the officer checked it, he did not find a gun. There was a receipt for the firearm was in the glove box. The firearm was entered into national crime data base.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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