Police say man shot five people in Alabama, Georgia crime spree
Published 2:29 pm Sunday, June 13, 2021
A 39-year-old man is accused of shooting five people in Alabama and Georgia cities about a mile (1.6 kilometers) apart, police in Georgia said.
Justin Tyran Roberts was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Monday in Recorders Court in Columbus, Georgia, and also faces charges in Phenix City, Alabama, news outlets reported. His hometown was not reported.
All victims are expected to recover, Columbus Police Chief Freddie Blackmon said Sunday.
He said a shooting Friday night injured one person at a hotel in Phenix City. Less than two hours later Friday, three people were shot in Columbus, where the fifth person was shot Saturday afternoon.
Blackmon said he could not identify a motive but the shootings were not random, Al.com reported.
WRBL-TV reported that he said police had not identified any connection between Roberts and the victims.
Police said Roberts was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, possessing a gun after a felony conviction and possessing it during commission of a crime. Police said the gun was stolen, and he’s also charged with theft by receiving stolen property.