Victim identified in deadly Wednesday Albany shooting

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Albany Police have released the identity of a 24-year-old man that was shot and killed early Wednesday morning.

APD said the victim, Jontavious Price, was shot in the chest. A second person, Joseph Sapp Jr., 19, was shot in the foot.

The shooting happened at an apartment in the 500 block of South Van Buren Street. Police were called to the scene around 2:30.

Albany Police said there were a total of five people in the apartment. A witness heard a struggle inside the apartment before hearing several shots fired.

Fatal shooting in Albany—South Van Buren and West Lincoln
Posted by Ashley Bohle WVLT on Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler said Price’s body is being taken to the crime lab for a full autopsy.

APD said investigators have conducted a search warrant at the apartment and they are currently interviewing the three others that were inside. They are also canvassing the area for additional witnesses and evidence of the crime.

Police said no suspects are in custody at this time.

While an investigation is still underway, neighbors said they are fearful and that the sound of gun shots can be heard weekly.

“I’m not just talking like a pop, pop. It be real continuous,” said Thurman Carnegie, an Albany resident.

Carnegie was sound asleep early Wednesday morning when he was woken by the sound of several gun shots.

“At least a couple times a week, you’ll hear some semi-automatic guns,” Carnegie said.

“We’re losing too many of our children and our kids on this street,” Carlton Bells, another Albany resident said.

Bells and Carnegie have been friends their whole lives, having grown up in Albany.

Bells said they’re the lucky ones. They said they stayed out of trouble growing up, choosing different paths from many of their peers, who have since lost their lives to the similar violence as Wednesday’s incident.

A shooting early this morning has tragically left one Albany man dead. And neighbors on South Van Buren Street say they're fearful the violence in their community won't ever end. I'll have more information on the sad incident at 6 on WALB News 10.
A shooting early this morning has tragically left one Albany man dead. And neighbors on South Van Buren Street say they're fearful the violence in their community won't ever end. I'll have more information on the sad incident at 6 on WALB News 10.
Posted by Grason Passmore WKYT on Wednesday, March 20, 2019

“They won’t stop and think about if I grab my gun and pull it, what the results are,” Bells said.

The investigation is ongoing as the police search for suspects.

But Bells and Carnegie said they worry the violence wont end any time soon.

“It’s sad to know we’ve got to live like this," Bells said. "It’s bad. So I don’t know how we’re going to solve it.”

Neighbors said they are still hopeful one day there may be a change.

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