Taco Times
Contributor
Previous altercations and a simmering feud between three Madison County residents boiled over into Taylor County last week when one of the men pulled a gun and fired shots in the middle of a crowd celebrating at a private family party at the Perry Men's Club.
The alleged shooter has been identified as Keyshawn Tyrik Jones, 22, of Greenville. He was taken into custody by the Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) without incident Thursday afternoon, April 8, around 5 p.m.
He has since been transported to the Taylor County Jail, where he is being held without bond on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, reckless discharge of a firearm in a public place and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.
"Thank you, citizens of Perry, for calling in and helping us by giving us the information we needed. This was a team effort, and our citizens are certainly involved in that team," Perry Police Department (PPD) Inv. Ray Kellerman said.
Witness statements, as well as information from victims and video footage, along with Snapchat and Facebook posts, helped lead investigators to the suspect.
"Also, information given by witnesses helped officers with the recovery of firearm used in the shooting that night," PPD Captain Gene Franklin said.
The shooting incident occurred during the early-morning hours of Easter Sunday, April 4.
A flood of 911 phone calls, between 150-200, nearly overloaded the communications center shortly after 1 a.m., with dispatchers answering 57 of those calls.
The suspect allegedly pulled a gun and fired during an altercation with the two shooting victims in the middle of a crowd of people who were packed shoulder-to-shoulder inside the private club.
"Once shots were fired, a struggle took place, and the suspect was disarmed. He was vigorously taken to the ground. He then fled the scene," Franklin said.
The sound of the gunshots triggered a stampede, resulting in several people being injured or stomped on during the ensuing panic.
"I asked one witness how scared she was (on a scale of 1-10) and she said, '40.' Another victim avoided being trampled only because her son picked her up after she had fallen to the ground," Kellerman said.
Two individuals, both male, sustained non-life-threatening injures – one was grazed by a bullet, and the second was shot in the hand.
A third individual was injured from broken glass.
"Responding officers did an outstanding job – both the first officers on scene and the others who arrived to assist," Kellerman said.
These included Ptl. John Arnold and Ptl. John Daniel Rice, along with Taylor County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) Sgt. Brian Cruse, Sgt. Jeff Ballard and Deputy Darren Whiddon. PPD K9 Officers Koven Phelps and Chas Mitchell.
"The efforts of Det. Ray Kellerman, Ptl. Joel Mailly, Det. Jamin Cephus, Ptl. Rice and Pt. Arnold all came together to bring charges against the subject, to get him identified and arrested," Franklin said.
"We can only police in a community when the community helps. I would like to once again thank the citizens of Perry who called in and helped," Kellerman said.