A teen is dead after a shooting in the early morning hours Sunday, according to Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton.
Police were called to the 100 block of Poplar Street in East Columbus at about 1:50 a.m. for a report of a reckless driver, Shelton said. About five minutes later officers received a second call, this time for a car in a ditch on Highway 182 near Poplar. The car had several bullet holes in it, and the driver was unconscious.
The victim, identified by Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant as Harvey Montreal Johnson Jr., 16, died on the scene. The body will be taken to the state medical examiner’s office for autopsy.
Shelton said he thought the incident began with an altercation in the 100 block of Poplar Street.
“We believe there was some type of altercation and then gunshots,” Shelton said. “We have recovered shell casings at the scene on Poplar. We believe the driver was shot on Poplar and then he drove away before crashing the car.”
A passenger in the car, identified as Tommy Flowers, of Columbus, was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, Shelton said.
A person of interest in the shooting has been identified, but Shelton did not release his name this morning.
“We have a name and we are working to locate the subject to talk to him,” Shelton said. “We are not ready to release that person’s name at this time as we continue to investigate the incident.”
Shelton asked anyone with information on the case to call Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 1-800-530-7151 or use the P3 Tips smartphone app. Tips are anonymous, and there is a cash reward if they result in an arrest.
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