Monday, July 4, 2011
Multiple early morning shootings Sunday sent three men to the hospital with injuries that aren't life-threatening, according to Chattanooga police.
The first incident occurred on the lot of Walt's Bar at 6238 Bonny Oaks Drive just after midnight, police spokeswoman Jerri Weary said in a news release.
The victim, Ralph Higgins, told police he was sitting in his car in the parking lot when a man came up and demanded his wallet. When he refused to give it up, the man shot him in the abdomen.
Higgins described the suspect as a short black male, between 4 feet, 11 inches and 5 feet, 1 inch tall, wearing a brown shirt. He said the shooter got into a small brown four-door car and left.
The second incident happened around 1:30 during a large house party at 909 Crutchfield St. and injured two men.
Reginald Locklin told police he was working as a bouncer for the party when two men began to provoke the crowd. When he began walking toward the men to make them leave, one pulled a gun and began shooting. A bullet went through one of his legs and lodged in the other. He was transported to Erlanger by private vehicle.
A second man, Brandon Robinson, said he was shot in the foot as he was being patted down to enter the party. Robinson was taken to Parkridge Medical Center by his girlfriend. The bullet that hit him is believed to have grazed his heel.
Locklin described the shooter as a black male, 6 feet, 1 inch tall, wearing a brown button-down shirt and jean shorts with dreads or plats pulled back into a short ponytail. Neither Locklin nor Robinson could give a description of the second suspect.
Police are still working on leads in both cases and no arrests have been made, Weary said.
A 3-year-old Red Bank boy was treated and released from Children's Hospital at Erlanger after he found his mother's gun and shot his hand, according to police.
WRCB-TV reported that the incident happened Saturday afternoon at Silver Creek Apartments on Dayton Boulevard.
The child was with a sitter. His single mother keeps the gun for protection, police told WRCB. The investigation is continuing.