Shots fired Tuesday evening at Eastview Apartments resulted in one man suffering a leg injury and his attacker being jailed after a brief chase.
    Statesboro Police officers swarmed the area minutes after a 911 operator reported several people had possibly been shot at Eastview Apartments, said Statesboro Public Safety Director Wendell Turner.
    However, once officers arrived at the scene around 5:37 p.m., they found only one victim, Devin J. Joiner, 18, Willow Bend Apartments, suffering from a gunshot to  the leg, he said.
    “Witnesses stated that the offender, who was later identified as Mickey Lewis Byrd Jr., 18, Eastview Apartments, had fled the scene,” he said.
    Byrd was taken into custody a short time later by uniformed officers in the area of Willingway Hospital on Jones Mill Road without incident, he said.
    Statesboro Herald employee Debbie Deal was on her way home when she became blocked in by officers in pursuit of Byrd as he ran from Ga. 24 through residential areas and woodlands. She first saw a woman leaving the area of Willingway, waving her hands in the air, then saw Byrd exit the woods.
    “About 15 feet in front of me, the guy came running out of the woods with his hands up and something in his hand,” she said. He acted as if he were surrendering, but she feared for an instant that he would start shooting and she would be caught in the crossfire.
    But, “he threw it down, and the police officer saw him,” she said. “The guy acted like he was going to lay down on the ground, and police hollered ‘lay down, lay down, put your arms out straight!’”
    Police quickly handcuffed Byrd and placed him in a patrol car, she said.
    Turner said investigators learned later during investigations that Byrd and Joiner “had been involved in an ongoing dispute which eventually led to the shooting incident. Joiner was sitting on the steps in front of the apartment building when Byrd began walking towards him and fired three shots, striking Joiner and another apartment in which a one year old child was sleeping in the living room area.”
    There were “numerous other children and innocent bystanders in the parking lot area when Byrd began discharging his weapon, but no other injuries were reported,” he said, in spite of a caller telling 911 operators several people had been shot.
    Joiner was transported to East Georgia Regional Medical Center by Bulloch County EMS. Byrd is currently being held without bond in the Bulloch County Jail awaiting further court action, he said.
    He is charged with seven counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, he said. “The case is still under investigation. Detective Keith Holloway is assigned to the case and anyone with any information is asked to call him at 764-9911 or submit a tip through crimereports.com.”
   
    Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at 9912) 489-9414.