LUTHERSVILLE, Ga. - A Greenville man is behind bars after a domestic shooting left a woman critically injured in a vehicle outside a Meriwether County convenience store Sunday evening.
Luthersville Road shooting arrest
What we know:
Deputies responded to a 911 call at approximately 6:48 p.m. last Sunday regarding a person shot at 5428 Luthersville Road in Luthersville. The shooting took place in the Sunoco Station parking lot, locally known as Gentry's Country Store, near the intersection of Luthersville Road and Rocky Mount Road.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they found a woman inside a vehicle who was shot in the head. Emergency crews from Meriwether County Fire Rescue and EMS stabilized the woman before she was airlifted to an Atlanta-area trauma center.
Investigators determined the shooting was an isolated, domestic-related incident and noted there was never an ongoing threat to the public.
Police arrested Deshontae Chairman Clements, 41, of Greenville, and charged him with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
Clements was beng held without bond at the Meriwether County Jail as of Tuesday afternoon.
The victim was listed in stable but critical condition.
Meriwether County police investigation
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet released the identity of the woman or clarified the exact nature of her relationship with Clements. It remains unclear what specific evidence led investigators to identify Clements as the suspect so quickly after the shooting.
Sheriff Chuck Smith statements
What they're saying:
Sheriff Chuck Smith released a statement addressing the fast-moving nature of the investigation and the community's response.
"We understand the public’s interest whenever a serious incident like this occurs, and we are committed to keeping our community informed," Smith said. "In this case, our investigators were able to make an arrest after gathering items of evidentiary value and determine what had occurred in the initial stages of the investigation. This was done while only having a one-sided conflicting story at the time as our victim was receiving lifesaving treatment after the incident had occurred."
Smith added, "Our Investigators worked diligently into the late night and traveled out of county to the Atlanta Trauma Hospital to gather additional information on our victim. Investigators worked to verify the facts before releasing information publicly while also protecting the integrity of this active criminal investigation. At no time was there believed to be an ongoing threat to the public. Our deputies, investigators, Meriwether County Fire Rescue, EMS personnel, emergency communications staff, and our law enforcement partners worked together to bring clarity to a rapidly evolving situation. I appreciate the professionalism they demonstrated and the patience shown by our community as we worked to ensure the information released was timely, accurate, and responsible."
Next steps in criminal case
What's next:
The investigation remains active as authorities continue to gather and evaluate evidence from the scene. The sheriff's office noted that additional charges against Clements are possible as the case progresses.
Anyone who has information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Meriwether County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at (706) 672-4489.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a formal press release issued by Meriwether County Sheriff Chuck Smith, who explained how deputies, investigators, and emergency personnel responded to the scene, conducted interviews, reviewed surveillance video, executed search warrants, and compiled evidence to make an arrest.