Police and fire briefs for June 25, 2012
Man, woman shot
in fight, police say
A man and woman were shot Saturday night after a fight near South 18th Street, Baton Rouge police said Sunday.
Police were called to the 400 block of South 18th Street around 9:30 p.m. on reports of a shooting, Capt. Elton Brown Sr. said in a news release.
Police found the man with a life-threatening wound in the upper left side of his chest, under his arm, Brown said.
The female was shot in the hip, but the injury is not considered life-threatening, Brown said.
Witnesses told officers the victims were shot after a fight between two men in the area, Brown said.
Anyone with information can contact the Baton Rouge Police Department Homicide Division at (225) 389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-STOP.
Detectives seek to ID suspects on video
Detectives are trying to identify two people seen on surveillance videotape at a convenience store near the scene of a Friday night shooting on Elvin Drive, a Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said Sunday.
The people — a man and a woman — were seen in front of the Cracker Barrel convenience store near the corner of Burbank and Elvin drives shortly after the shooting, which occurred around 11:15 p.m., East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Casey Rayborn Hicks said in a news release.
One man was wearing a red T-shirt and jeans, according to pictures provided by the Sheriff’s Office. The woman wore a white T-shirt and gray pants.
Malcolm Fitzgerald Johnson, 8736 Elvin Drive, was shot at 944 Elvin Drive, Hicks has said.
Johnson had argued with a group of people in the street, which led to one person shooting Johnson, Hicks has said.
Johnson ran back to a vehicle and was driven to a hospital where he later died, Hicks has said.
Anyone with information about the incident can contact the Sheriff’s Office at (225) 389-5000 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (225) 344-STOP.
Police book suspect in April robbery
Police arrested a 26-year-old man Saturday accused of robbing another man at gunpoint April 21 on 69th Avenue, according to an arrest warrant.
The victim told police that he and Damion Whitfield were talking in the 2800 block of 69th Avenue when Whitfield pulled out a gun and robbed him, the warrant says.
Whitfield took $350 in cash and an iPhone 4, the warrant sesays.
Whitfield then told the victim to drive away before he got shot, the document says.
Whitfield, 6833 68th Ave., was booked into Parish Prison on one count of armed robbery.
Nine DWI arrests includes 4th offense
Authorities arrested at least nine people suspected of driving while intoxicated in East Baton Rouge Parish — including a man on a fourth-offense DWI — and booked them into Parish Prison between 2:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, booking records show.
Those booked and the counts against them:
- Johnathon Betts, 27, 4503 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Alexandria, first-offense DWI and speeding.
- Stephen Castello, 25, 11777 Ferdinand St., St. Francisville, third-offense DWI, possession of alcohol in a vehicle and license plate light required.
- Monique Cockerham, 19, 13147 Twin Oaks Drive, Geismar, first-offense DWI, reckless operation of a vehicle, failure to signal and speeding.
- David McDowell, 55, 2490 River View Drive, Denham Springs, fourth-offense DWI, failure to signal, driver’s license suspended or revoked, unlawful refusal to submit to a chemical test, improper lane usage and failure to register vehicle.
- Trac Ngo, 42, 1950 N. Sherwood Forest Blvd., first-offense DWI and disobeying a red light.
- Arlena Nguyen, 18, 11043 Shoreline Drive, first-offense DWI, failure to maintain control, negligent vehicle injuring and reckless operation of a vehicle.
- Willie Powers, 50, 2755 Adams Ave., first-offense DWI.
- Stephen Puryer, 26, 1512 N. Highland, Arlington, Va., first-offense DWI, equipment violation and reckless operation of a vehicle.
- Troy Wyatt, 36, 6777 Rembrandt Drive, first-offense DWI and equipment violation.
Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call (225) 388-0369.