'Yeah we’re out here, we’re hunting you’: Police offer exclusive forensic look into Albany shooting

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - For the first time, the Albany Police Department (APD) gave WALB an exclusive look into its forensic crime scene lab to uncover the dangers a number of shootings they said pose a threat to children and innocent people all over the city.

WALB News 10′s Asia Wilson was able to go inside a forensic lab after shootings have been reported all over Albany.

A recent shooting into an apartment on Sands Drive that barely missed three small children and sent two adults to the hospital has officers saying this is the last straw.

“As you can see, you have a bassinet right there. This closet area, as you can see the holes right there, those are bullet holes,” said Sgt. Chris Arline with the Albany Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit.

An eye-popping image that should send shock waves through Albany after an apartment in 600 block of Sands Drive was invaded with bullets last week, barely missing an innocent baby’s crib.

“With me having kids, that just broke me down there,” said Lt. Keithen Hall, commander of the APD Robbery and Homicide Unit.

Arline said 27 bullet holes were found outside the master bedroom and another room of three small children. With some of those bullets almost hitting kids ranging from 6 months old to 6 years old, it has struck the veins of Lt. Hall, who has children and has to deal with these types of cases every day.

“It just sent a shock through my body when I went into the children’s room and to see that the rounds just did miss the crib and all that type of stuff,” said Hall.

The dangerous rifle and 9mm handgun bullets in the case are just a fraction of what’s been collected and brought to the police department’s forensic crime scene lab from other shootings throughout the city.

After a mother was shot while shielding her baby and one child was possibly grazed, investigators said their short life almost being taken away should shock the conscious of those who think it’s OK to pull a trigger.

“Once a child get’s hit by one of those rounds or anything like that, it’s going to shock the conscious of the community,” said Hall.

Albany Police are pleading for people to stop it now, as no brawl or misunderstanding is worth being killed over because of senseless shootings.

“It’s not just the individual that you are targeting, it’s also people living inside a residence that’s innocent,” explained Hall.

If anything, investigators want people to consider their own future before being locked up behind bars and always remembered as the person who stripped away yet another full potential life.

“We need the assistance of the community to get it stopped. It needs to stop now, today,” said Hall.

APD staff said they offered WALB this exclusive in hopes of one thing.

“People who have information about this case and other shooting cases will come forward with information to get to the bottom of these random shootings,” said Hall.

If you know anything about any recent shooting, you’re encouraged to call Albany CrimeSTOPPERS at (229) 436-TIPS.

Police said after further investigation, forensic evidence shows the Sands Drive incident could have been be a targeted shooting.

This is still an active investigation and APD still wants any and all leads that are out there.

Police said the random 27 bullet holes found at the apartment at Wild Pines shows the victims may have been targeted.

Investigators said Brandon Johnson and Wilsonjaka Hunt were injured and taken to the hospital.

Officers said the bullets possibly grazed one of the children and they were treated at the Lily Pad for forensic interviews.

Now, police have this message for anyone involved in this shooting or other shootings.

“And you have committed one of those types of crimes. Shooting and just reckless, yeah we’re out here, we’re hunting you. We knocking on your door, we knocking on your mama door, your auntie door,” said Hall.

Investigators also said they’re working around the clock with federal resources to find people committing these shootings.

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