A man walked into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting Saturday morning and began firing a semiautomatic handgun as people fled. No one was injured in the shooting, but two bullets damaged nearby vehicles.
Statesboro Police Det. Tommy Brown said Willie Dewayne Williams, 44, Langston Chapel Road, walked into "the Smokehouse," a block building next to Statesboro Nursing Home on South College Street, around 10:45 a.m. Saturday morning.
Williams had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for " a few months," Brown said. "We don't have a clue what set him off."
Williams has several medical issues, including a recent diagnosis regarding his heart, he said. He had several bottles of prescription medication with him during the shooting incident.
"We're not sure whether he was up to date on his medications," he said. "He had a large amount of medicines, some empty bottles, some pills mixed together."
A crowd of about 20 were gathered in the building when Williams walked inside, "waving his gun around and ordering people around," Brown said. Several people ran, and Williams followed them outside, firing one shot that "struck the pavement" and ricocheted into the radiator of a nearby vehicle.
Williams then walked to the southwest corner of the building and began firing again, four more shots, at people who were fleeing, he said.
None of the bullets from the Ruger P95 semiautomatic hand gun struck anyone, but one did pierce the driver's side door of an unattended truck, he said.
Advanced Patrol Officer Larry Futch approached Williams and ordered him to put down his gun and surrender, and he did without a struggle or protest, Brown said.
However, once he was taken to the Bulloch County Jail, Williams put up a fight.
Brown said Williams was combative and refused to obey orders and jailers were forced to restrain him. He also refused to take his medicine and was uncooperative with the judge during a first appearance hearing, he said.
Police charged Williams with 24 counts of aggravated assault, two of which were against police officers. He was also charged with five counts of kidnapping and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, Brown said.
Further charges may be pending and the case remains under investigation, he said.
Statesboro Police Det. Tommy Brown said Willie Dewayne Williams, 44, Langston Chapel Road, walked into "the Smokehouse," a block building next to Statesboro Nursing Home on South College Street, around 10:45 a.m. Saturday morning.
Williams had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for " a few months," Brown said. "We don't have a clue what set him off."
Williams has several medical issues, including a recent diagnosis regarding his heart, he said. He had several bottles of prescription medication with him during the shooting incident.
"We're not sure whether he was up to date on his medications," he said. "He had a large amount of medicines, some empty bottles, some pills mixed together."
A crowd of about 20 were gathered in the building when Williams walked inside, "waving his gun around and ordering people around," Brown said. Several people ran, and Williams followed them outside, firing one shot that "struck the pavement" and ricocheted into the radiator of a nearby vehicle.
Williams then walked to the southwest corner of the building and began firing again, four more shots, at people who were fleeing, he said.
None of the bullets from the Ruger P95 semiautomatic hand gun struck anyone, but one did pierce the driver's side door of an unattended truck, he said.
Advanced Patrol Officer Larry Futch approached Williams and ordered him to put down his gun and surrender, and he did without a struggle or protest, Brown said.
However, once he was taken to the Bulloch County Jail, Williams put up a fight.
Brown said Williams was combative and refused to obey orders and jailers were forced to restrain him. He also refused to take his medicine and was uncooperative with the judge during a first appearance hearing, he said.
Police charged Williams with 24 counts of aggravated assault, two of which were against police officers. He was also charged with five counts of kidnapping and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, Brown said.
Further charges may be pending and the case remains under investigation, he said.