This undated photo provided by the Auburn Police Division shows Desmonte Leonard, 22, of Montgomery, Ala., the suspect wanted for fatally shooting three people, including two former Auburn University football players, and wounding three others during a party at an apartment complex near the school, Sunday, June 10, 2012, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said that current football player Eric Mack was among those wounded and was being treated at a hospital. The two slain former players were identified as Edward Christian and Ladarious Phillips. The other person killed was identified as Demario Pitts. (AP Photo/Auburn Police Division)
This undated photo provided by the Auburn Police Division shows Desmonte Leonard, 22, of Montgomery, Ala., the suspect wanted for fatally shooting three people, including two former Auburn University football players, and wounding three others during a party at an apartment complex near the school, Sunday, June 10, 2012, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said that current football player Eric Mack was among those wounded and was being treated at a hospital. The two slain former players were identified as Edward Christian and Ladarious Phillips. The other person killed was identified as Demario Pitts. (AP Photo/Auburn Police Division)
This booking photo provided by the Auburn Police Department shows Jeremy Thomas, 18, of Montgomery, Ala.. Thomas is charged with hindering prosecution in the search for a man who allegedly opened fire at a party in Auburn, Ala., killing three and wounding three others. Police said Thomas was one of two people who fled the scene with prime suspect Desmonte Leonard, 22, who is charged in the shooting. (AP Photo/Auburn Police Department)
This photo provided by Montgomery Police Department shows Gabriel Thomas, who is charged with hindering prosecution for allegedly providing police with false information about Desmonte Leonard. Leonard is accused in a shooting that killed three people and wounded three others in Auburn. Police said the search for Leonard is concentrating in Montgomery. (AP Photo/Montgomery Police Department)
Turquorius Vines, 23, who claims he attended a party where a shooting occurred killing one of his friends in an apartment complex, stands outside the crime scene Sunday, June 10, 2012, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said authorities responded during the night to a report of multiple gunshot victims at the apartment complex, but he released no immediate information early Sunday. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson speaks during a news conference at Auburn City Council Chambers, announcing the shooting of three Auburn University students, Sunday, June 10, 2012, in Auburn, Ala. A gunman opened fire during a fight at a party at an apartment complex near Auburn University, killing three people, including two former school football players, authorities said Sunday. Three other people were injured, with one in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head. (AP Photo/Opelika-Auburn News, Vasha Hunt)
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) ? Authorities searching for a man charged with fatally shooting three people near Auburn University converged Monday night on a house in Alabama's capital where they believe he may be hiding.
Dozens of police cruisers, trucks and vans surrounded the house and officers were seen moving around outside.
Montgomery police spokeswoman Regina Duckett said during a news conference that police received a credible tip that Desmonte Leonard is in the house. Duckett said they are trying to make contact but have not confirmed he's in there. She said she doesn't know who owns the home.
Local and federal officers asked neighbors to stay inside.
Authorities said Leonard was charged with three counts of capital murder in the shooting Saturday night during a pool party at University Heights apartments. He's also accused of wounding three others.
The dead included two former Auburn football players.
The 22-year-old Leonard's last address was in Montgomery.
Earlier in the day police said they had arrested two men accused of hindering the search.
Auburn police said Jeremy S. Thomas, 18, of Montgomery was charged with hindering prosecution after he fled the scene of the shooting with Leonard. Records show Thomas was free on bond at the time of the Auburn shootings while awaiting a manslaughter trial set to begin June 18 in last year's shooting death of a teenager.
Montgomery police said Gabriel Thomas, 41, was also charged with hindering prosecution after having contact with Leonard after the shooting and providing false information to officers.
Police said it wasn't known whether Jeremy Thomas and Gabriel Thomas are related. Officers also were looking for a third man described as a person of interest in the case, but it wasn't clear why.
The dead included former Auburn players Edward Christian, who had to quit the team because of a lingering back injury; and Ladarious Phillips, who was transferring from Auburn to Jacksonville State University to play football. The other person killed was Demario Pitts, 20.
Of the three people who were wounded, current Auburn football player Eric Mack and Xavier Moss were both treated and released from a hospital. The third, John Robertson, remained in critical condition after being shot in the head.
A witness who identified himself as a friend of Pitts said he didn't know the man who pulled out a gun and began firing into the crowd following a dispute over a woman.
"I ain't never seen him a day of my life," said Turquorius Vines, 23, who wasn't injured in the melee.
Police arrested Leonard on two previous charges involving guns.
Court records show Montgomery police arrested Leonard in 2008 on a charge of carrying a pistol without a license, after stopping a suspected stolen vehicle and finding him inside. Documents available online didn't show whether the case was ever resolved, but Leonard was freed on bond within days.
Leonard was charged in 2009 with assault after a man was shot in the groin, but prosecutors dropped the case after the victim told authorities Leonard wasn't the shooter.
A Montgomery woman filed a paternity suit against Leonard on Friday that identified him as the father of a girl who turned 1 last month.
Another woman sued him in 2009 seeking unpaid child support for a girl who is now 4. A court ordered monthly payments of $305 by Leonard, who records show was working at a Walmart store at the time.
Auburn police said the shootings did not appear to have anything to do with some of the victims being former or current players on the football team, which won the national championship in 2010. The swimming pool at the apartment complex frequently is the site of parties.
The apartment complex was the scene of another shooting in April, when a man armed with an assault rifle allegedly opened fire on a police tactical team as officers carried out a search warrant. No one was hurt, but officer seized weapons, cash and a pound of marijuana.
Police identified the alleged shooter in the April gunfire as a 21-year-old man, who was charged with four counts of attempted murder and drug possession. Three other men were arrested on drug charges.
___
Associated Press writers Phil Rawls in Montgomery and Jay Reeves in Birmingham contributed to this report.
Associated Pressrobert griffin iii dontari poe space shuttle nyc monkeypox nick perry 30 rock live nfl draft picks 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.