Chattanooga police were called to Memorial Hospital about 1 this morning to interview a gunshot wound victim who had been transported to the hospital by personal vehicle, according to department spokeswoman Officer Rebecca Royval.
When officers arrived they spoke with the victim, Johnny Barbour, age 28, who said that he was walking in the 2100 block of Rawlings Street when a red SUV drove by and an unknown occupant shot him for no reason.
After speaking to the lead investigator, Barbour changed his story, saying that a light skinned black male exited the red SUV, pointed a gun at him and told him to “lay it down.” Barbour said he attempted to grab the gun, it fell to the ground and went off. Barbour was struck in the left upper thigh and the bullet exited just below his knee cap which contradicts both of the victim’s accounts, Royval said. Barbour was treated for his injuries and released.
There was no crime scene located in the 2100 block of Rawlings Street and no one in the area heard gunshots around the time of the incident, Royval said. There is no further suspect information. This case is pending.