Columbus police have identified a person of interest in connection with a March 21 shooting at a Seventh Avenue North convenience store that left two men injured and one man already facing aggravated assault charges.
Capt. Brent Swan of the CPD’s Criminal Investigation Division is asking for the public’s help in locating Justin Dewion Williams, 26, of Columbus.
City police arrested Leronn Gregory, 25, also of Columbus, at his home on March 22 after he allegedly opened fire in O-Kay Foods at 1801 Seventh Ave. N. on the afternoon of March 21. Two people went to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle with gunshot wounds, and one was later airlifted to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Police said at the time of Gregory’s arrest that he was suspected of shooting only one of the two victims and the investigation was ongoing.
On the day of Gregory’s arrest, O-Kay Foods owner Mutee Nagi agreed to cut back the store’s operating hours after meeting with city officials who expressed concern of the number of incidents that been reported at the store. It had been open from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. each day, but now it closes at 5 p.m.
The store has been the site of more than 120 incident reports in the past year, according to City Attorney Jeff Turnage. Councilman Stephen Jones of Ward 5, where O-Kay Foods is located, said there have been three shootings in the last two years at the store.
Anyone with information on Williams’ whereabouts is asked to call the CPD or Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 1-800-530-7151.
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