Three people were wounded during a shooting incident Thursday afternoon at a Statesboro apartment complex.
According to Statesboro Police Department Chief Mike Broadhead, an argument between roommates at Southern Downs apartments ended up in the parking lot with shots fired and three people suffering gunshot wounds.
In a release later Thursday, SPD Capt. Jared Akins said all three were taken to Memorial Health Medical Center in Savannah and all were listed in stable condition. The wounded were 20 and 43-year-old women and a 26-year-old man, according to the release.
Southern Downs is located on Georgia Ave., just off Highway 67 behind the First Presbyterian Church.
“This evolved from a petty roommate dispute that, apparently, has been going on for months,” Broadhead said. “These two individuals just cannot get along. They dragged their families into it. They tried to drag their friends into it.”
Akins said in the release that “detectives arrived on scene and processed the parking lot where the shooting occurred, searching several vehicles and an apartment. Four firearms were recovered during the searches. Ballistic comparisons between the firearms and the shell casings recovered will be conducted by the GBI Crime Lab.”
Early Thursday afternoon, Broadhead said there were at least five people inside the apartment.
In the release, Akins said the preliminary investigation suggests that the shooting resulted from an ongoing dispute between roommates.
“These roommates gathered support from family and friends, resulting in a physical fight which escalated into a shooting.”
Broadhead said “people are being cooperative, but it's just difficult that the story is so convoluted. We're just trying to sort through it, but we know that we had three people get hit by gunfire.”
Detectives questioned two of the five people involved who were not shot, but they are still uncertain exactly how many guns were used in the incident and who shot whom, Broadhead said.
He said detectives were still trying to understand why the dispute developed into a potentially deadly incident.
“I think it's typical roommate stuff,” Broadhead said. “Like they're just rubbing each other the wrong way, so every little thing becomes a problem. But, none of its really that big of a problem, right? But they're in so close proximity to each other and not getting along.”
Still, he said from what he understands so far, the argument “should have resulted, at most, in a fist fight. It should not have been in a gun fight.”
“There are just too many people who are not in control of their emotions who also possess firearms,” Broadhead said. “They lose control in the moment and then look back and see what they shouldn’t have done.”
The investigation continues and criminal charges against certain of the involved parties are probable, Akins said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Eric Short at (912) 764-9911 or by submitting an anonymous tip through the SPD website https://statesboropd.com/ using the "Submit a Tip" link.
