The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a “suspicious situation” on Aug. 31, according to an incident report recently filed.
Upon the officer’s arrival, citizen John Rutherford of Fairfax Street, said he had “discovered numerous shell casings in front of his house.”
According to the report, Rutherford further stated that his wife and son had heard the sound of a firearm discharging several times earlier this morning between 2-2:30 a.m
“[Rutherford] stated that he suspected the rifle shots may be related to the house at 263 Fairfax Place due to the large amount of suspicious activity he observed at the residence, including vehicles arriving at and leaving the property at all hours during the day and at night,” the report stated.
Rutherford’s son confirmed his father’s statements, describing hearing shots at 2:15 a.m.
After canvassing the area, the CCSO officer found approximately 15 spent long rifle casings on the street in front of Rutherford’s residence near the intersection of Fairfax Street and Fairfax Place.
The officer on site investigated further by speaking with Eric Morales, a nearby neighbor on Fairfax Place, who also heard gunshot sounds around 2:08 a.m. Morales evidently had a doorbell camera, however it was unable to detect any vehicles or individuals on the street.
“We arrived at 263 Fairfax Place and examined the front of the house, observing several indications of suspected projectile damage in the front wall of the house,” the report stated. “We attempted to make contact with the residents with no success.”
Another neighbor, Theresa Gonzalez, then left her residence on Fairfax Place and was immediately approached by officers for questioning, prior to stating she did not wish to speak with law enforcement in close proximity to the residence in question.
“… we allowed her to drive around the corner and park,” the report stated. “[Gonzalez] stated that she was awake at the time that the firearm was discharged and that her daughter, who slept on the first floor, became scared and ran upstairs.”
Similar to Morales, Gonzales also had a security camera mounted on her house that faced in the direction of 263 Fairfax Place, but it was also unable to detect any relevant activity.
With the arrival of Sgt. Bultman, CCSO officers returned to 263 Fairfax Place to observe the damage to the front of the house and attempt to discover any more shots.
“While we were doing so the residents, Leroy Bradley and Dawanda Green, exited the house and spoke with us,” stated the incident report.
After returning from Green’s mother’s house, the two explained they had “been drinking” and recently returned before hearing the sound of gunfire from the kitchen.
“They ducked behind cover until the gunfire stopped and then [Bradley] exited the house to survey any damage he could find, and after finding none they went to sleep.”
Bradley stated to officers that his sister, Tkeyhia Lowe, had been living with them for approximately five months.
“When he and [Green] were threatened with eviction from their residence, they asked [Lowe] to assist them in paying the rent owed, which she refused,” the report stated.
Green and Bradley then asked Lowe to leave if she was not going to assist financially, and Lowe left the home approximately 2 p.m. after allegedly being picked up by her mother.
“When asked about [Lowe]’s activities and associations, [Green] and [Bradley] stated that she was involved in suspected illegal activities,” the report stated.
According to recorded statements, Green suspected that either Lowe had sent one of her friends to fire at the residence in revenge for forcing Lowe to leave, or a separate suspect still believed that she was living there and had fired at the residence thinking she was inside.
The incident was eventually turned over to an investigator in the Criminal Investigations Division for further examination.
