Three people were shot Thursday afternoon at Campus Crossings Apartments in Statesboro, near the campus of Georgia Southern University.
Police detained one man in the area, charging him with “fleeing, or obstruction,” said Statesboro Police Deputy Chief Rob Bryan, but he did not confirm the man was a suspect in the shootings.
According to reports aired over police radio, one woman was airlifted to a Savannah hospital. Bryan said the three victims – the woman and two men – were all initially transported to East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro.
None of the victims appeared to have life-threatening injuries, he said, “but with gunshot wounds that could easily turn.”
No further information was available late Thursday as detectives continued investigating what Bryan called an aggravated assault incident. When he spoke to the Statesboro Herald Thursday, he was still on the scene and said officers were continuing to question witnesses.
Bulloch County 911 Director Kelly Barnard said operators received a call about “shots fired” around 3:44 p.m. and that police reported finding victims at the scene.
Thursday’s incident was the latest in a recent rash of shootings in private apartment complexes in the area around Georgia Southern University and the U.S. Highway 301/Veteran’s Memorial Parkway area.
Vernon Lamont Hunter, 24, of Savannah, died after being shot around 12:30 a.m. Oct. 19, also at Campus Crossing Apartments. Police are investigating his death as a murder, and a $1,500 reward is being offered for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of a suspect.
Forrest Kibler, 25, of Statesboro, died after being shot Nov. 4 at Park Place Apartments, and Statesboro police later charged Jamontea Marquil Pitts, 24, from Guyton, with murder after an investigation involving several other agencies.
After an autopsy, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported the death of Olajuwon James, 21, on the grounds of the Campus Evolution Villages apartment complex the night of Oct. 3-4 was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot. A Statesboro police officer fired two shots after James resisted arrest and was seen to have a gun, police reported, but the GBI reported that neither of the officer’s shots hit James, who was from Hinesville.
Statesboro police arrested Akeem Rashad Milton, 25, of Midway for armed robbery and other charges after an alleged home invasion-style robbery that night in which James was identified as the other suspect.
Bryan said further details may be available Friday after further investigation.
Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414. Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9458.
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