Paris, Tenn.–One Paris man is in custody and investigation continues into an incident in which occupants of two vehicles were shooting at each other in broad daylight Saturday in downtown Paris.
The shots-fired incident occurred around 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon on N. Poplar Street near where members of the First Baptist Church were on the loading dock of the church, handing out commodities. One church member was reportedly nearly run over in the incident. Video from the church’s security cameras assisted with the investigation.
Duke Ward, age 21, of 6210 Hwy. 140N, Cottage Grove, was arrested and charged with attempted second degree murder and reckless endangerment.
Assistant Paris Police Chief Ricky Watson told RadioNWTN Monday morning that the investigation into the incident continues and more charges are likely to be filed. The second suspect is still at large.
Paris Police were first called to the area of N. Poplar Street and Greer Street around 1 p.m. on a report of shots being fired. Officers were advised that one of the cars involved was a grey charger with a yellow “Don’t Tread On Me” license plate.
According to the report, Patrolman Amber Roaten located the vehicle at an address on Guthrie Rd. and pulled in the driveway. When officers arrived, Ward walked from the residence with his hands up and said he was the driver of one of the vehicles.
Several other Paris Police officers arrived at the residence and found the weapon involved and cleared the scene.
During the course of the investigation, officers found several spots on Ward’s car that had been struck by bullets. Other witnesses that had been in the area at the time came forward with reports of their vehicles being struck by bullets.
According to the report, Ward said he and another occupant of his car were getting food at a market on West Wood St. and the driver of the other vehicle involved in the shooting incident followed them from jones Bend Rd. to Rison to Market to Ruff Street and that they saw a gun hanging out the driver’s side window. Ward told officers he wasn’t sure who made the first shot. According to the report, Ward said he was acting in self-defense.
The other vehicle involved in the incident also showed evidence of shots fired into the vehicle.