Shooting leads to attempted murder charges for Cleveland woman

photo Gwendolyn Johnson

A Cleveland woman is in custody in the Bradley County Justice Center after a nighttime shooting incident sent one man to the hospital.

Gwendolyn Johnson, 26, has been charged with two counts of attempted second-degree homicide in relation to the Wednesday shooting and is being held at the jail without bond.

At about 8:30 p.m. that day, Cleveland police responded to 636 Beech Circle on a call about a fight in progress with shots fired. While en route to the disturbance, two vehicles fled the scene.

According to the police report, an officer saw one of the suspect vehicles headed south on Peerless Road and made a traffic stop. As the officer approached the vehicle, the driver, identified as Natina Brockman, screamed that her nephew had been shot.

Keith Hill, 33, told the officer that he had been shot in the left thigh, and the officer saw blood on Hill's left leg, according to the report. EMS personnel responded and began treating Hill. Officers spoke with Hill, and he was transported to Skyridge Medical Center for more treatment.

While Hill was treated and statements collected from the driver and another passenger, an officer found a silver pistol under the front right passenger seat, and a spent casing, which was taken and placed in the trunk of a police car.

Brockman told police that Hill had been fighting with Deondre Melton when Johnson pulled a gun from her vehicle and fired a warning shot.

"No one is scared of that gun," Brockman said she told Johnson.

Brockman said that Johnson then pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger, but missed and hit Hill in the leg instead.

According to Brockman, Hill then pulled out his own weapon and fired three shots while screaming, "This [expletive deleted] shot me!"

Brockman said they left the scene to get Hill to the hospital after that.

Dispatch notified officers that the other suspect vehicle was located at 1215 Collegeview Drive after the driver and passengers abandoned it there. Police responded and secured the vehicle, discovering that it was registered to Johnson.

According to the report, officers went to Johnson's home and, after making contact with her, took her to the Cleveland Police Department to interview her. Johnson consented to have her home and vehicle searched and was taken into custody once the two warrants were issued.

No information was available late Thursday on whether Hill will face charges for firing his gun during the disorder.

Contact staff writer Alex Harris at aharris@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592.

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