1 killed, 1 injured in city’s 10th gun-involved incident this year
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore police were still investigating at midweek a predawn Monday (May 29) shooting that left an Atmore man dead and another wounded. The exchange of gunfire was at least the 10th shooting incident in the community this year, the third that resulted in the death of a local resident.
Both victims were taken to Atmore Community Hospital, where police said Robert Starks, age not provided, died from his injuries. The other individual was treated at ACH, then transported to an area trauma center. He reportedly remained in serious condition early Tuesday.
According to police reports, officers responded around 2:15 a.m. to the area of Carver Avenue and King Street after emergency dispatchers relayed a shots-fired report. Police arrived to discover two people with gunshot wounds.
APD Sgt. Darrell McMann said early Tuesday police are still trying to determine what was the motive for the fatal shooting.
“Investigators have interviewed witnesses and are actively seeking other witnesses,” he said.
The community has experienced at least one shooting incident every month this year. Three each took place in January and February, one each happened in March and April, and now two have happened in May.
The most recent shooting incident prior to Monday was on May 17, when a Mexican national — in the U.S. illegally — shot Tara Ann Bryan in the head during an argument at Southland Motel. The Atmore woman was declared dead five days later in a Pensacola hospital.
In April, no injuries were reported when two individuals fired at each other several times, neither scoring any hits, during a shootout on Liberty Street.
A Pensacola pot dealer was shot at in March, near Wind Creek, by a group of individuals he chased after they paid for a marijuana purchase with fake money.
The February shootings included one that claimed the life of 16-year-old Janyia Wilson. (Her 16-year-old boyfriend was charged as an adult with shooting her.)
The other February incidents did not result in any injuries. A local man was arrested February 10 after he shot into an occupied house, not hitting any of his intended targets, and a shot was fired February 26 at the McDonald’s on South Main Street. A Bay Minette man, the former boyfriend of an employee, was arrested. He accidentally discharged a handgun while trying to run away from the woman, who was also armed.
The first two shooting incidents of the year occurred January 14, just hours apart, when a Century, Fla. man chased the same car along Brooks Lane on successive days, shooting at its occupants on each occasion.
The next happened January 25 when individuals still unknown fired several shots at Westside Park. No one in the park was hit by the flying bullets, but a car and house across U.S. 31 from the park were.