A spokeperson for the City of Powder Springs provided an update on the shooting in a Powder Springs convenience store/service station on Richard D. Sailors Parkway yesterday that left two people in critical condition.
The victims are expected to survive.
A 20-year-old Marietta man was arrested and in the incident, and has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, reckless conduct, and tampering with evidence. As the investigation continues further charges could result.
[The Cobb County Courier has a policy of withholding or redacting the name of suspects unless and until the person is convicted in a court of law or enters a plea of guilty. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty, and the internet has no effective way of removing reports of arrest if the person is exonerated. We do make exceptions in high-profile cases or charges against public officials where exoneration is likely to be as widely publicized as the initial arrest]
The update from the city details the incident as follows (see our policy on publishing the names of suspects and defendants above).
On March 15, 2022, at 3 p.m., Powder Springs Police received a call for a person shot at the Shell Station located at 1390 Richard D. Sailors Parkway. Officers arrived to find two people shot inside the business. Both victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment and are expected to survive.
The investigation into the shooting found that [name redacted by the Cobb County Courier] , 20, from Marietta was confronted by the manager of the business about a previous theft incident at the business. During the confrontation, attempted to steal items from the business again. A witness confronted [name redacted by the Cobb County Courier] and stopped him from taking any items from the business. [name redacted by the Cobb County Courier] returned to his vehicle and removed an AK-style rifle and started firing shots into the business.
The two victims were struck by rounds fired into the business. [name redacted by the Cobb County Courier] then fled the scene.
At about 9:30 p.m., [name redacted by the Cobb County Courier] was taken into custody at Powder Springs Police Department and transported to Cobb County Jail. [name redacted by the Cobb County Courier] at this time has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, reckless conduct, and tampering with evidence. The investigation continues and more charges could result for that investigation.
There are no outstanding suspects and there is no danger to the community currently from this incident.
Why protect the criminal by hiding his name? Is there really any doubt that he is guilty?
I was taught that the American trial court system was built on the foundation of “innocent until proven guilty.” And it isn’t the Courier’s job to protect a defendant, and we’re not capable of doing it. If probable cause is determined in magistrate court, an ADA will prosecute, and a defense attorney will defend. I don’t figure into the process of determining guilt or innocence.