One man was wounded in a shooting on Highway 45 Sunday night, according to Police Chief Fred Shelton.
Shelton said police were alerted after someone showed up at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle with a gunshot wound around 11 p.m. The male victim said they had been shot in the parking lot at 1207 Highway 45 North, which is across Waverly Ferry Road from Waffle House.
As many as 50 ammunition casings were seen marked as evidence throughout the parking lot on Sunday evening.
Shelton said two cars in the parking lot were also hit, but he didn’t know if they were occupied at the time or not.
“The victim and the witnesses would not tell us who was shooting or what they were shooting about,” Shelton said. “We don’t know how many people were shooting, and who was shooting at who.”
That area is a common gathering place on weekends, he said.
“On Saturday or Sunday nights, people gather at Waffle House,” he said. “(Waffle House shuts) down the interior, and people gather there across the street at that parking lot.”
The victim was treated and released, Shelton said.
In a separate incident, a large brawl broke out at the Sprint Mart at Highway 45 and Bluecutt Sunday night.
Shelton said officers were called to break up a fight in the parking lot about 9:30 p.m.
No arrests were made, he said.
Similarly to the shooting, witnesses on the scene would not cooperate with police, he said.
Shelton asked anyone with information on these cases to call Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 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.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
