APD: 1 still wanted in Lake Park Elementary parent-involved incident leading to off-campus shooting

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Albany police are still searching for a man they said is responsible for shooting and injuring the mother of his kids, after she picked the children up from Lake Park Elementary School (LPES) Wednesday night.

The shooting happened around 6 p.m. in the 400 block of Meadowlark Drive, just two blocks down from the elementary school.

The incident started at Lake Park Elementary School as a parent was picking up her kids when police say the father of the kids came up and assaulted her.

Some people who witnessed the incident said the mom was punched several times by the children’s father. He was later identified as 44-year-old Reginald James Sr, Albany police say. The mom then drove off with their kids.

That’s when police said James followed her off school grounds and shot her in the leg before leaving the scene — all of this happening with three kids in the mother’s car. None of the kids were hurt.

“It’s definitely concerning because it’s right here where our kids are,” said an LPES parent who wished to stay anonymous.

Parents said they’re in disbelief that this happened—some of them taking extra precautions by keeping their kids out of school Thursday.

In a Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning alert, the Lake Park Elementary principal told parents about the incident.

“While it was an after-school thing, it’s still other people’s kids that are in danger and you know it could have been a lot worse than what it was,” the parent added.

James currently faces a slew of warrant charges including four counts of aggravated assault, and three counts of cruelty to children.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (229) 436-TIPS or an Albany police investigator at (229) 431-2100.

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