UPDATE: 2 teens arrested after gun fired inside Valdosta Mall

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Two teens were arrested after a shot was fired inside the Valdosta Mall on Sunday afternoon.

According to a release from Valdosta Police (VPD), around 2:30 p.m., an off-duty officer was shopping with his family when he heard a gunshot.

Police say the officer approached the gunshot while people were running everywhere. Witnesses pointed to a male, later identified as Marcus Darius Melvin, 17.

When the officer approached Melvin and identified himself, Melvin seemed like he was going to try to flee, so the officer grabbed him. Within minutes, numerous VPD officers and Lowndes County deputies arrived at the mall.

Based on evidence collected at the scene, officers determined that the gunshot was possibly an accidental discharge by someone carrying a gun in their pants, according to VPD.

Officers found one spent shell casing, small pieces of clothing, and damage to the floor which was in a straight downward trajectory.

Even though Melvin was uncooperative and resisted the off-duty officer’s request, there was no evidence connecting him to the incident, so he was allowed to leave.

At 4:40 p.m. the same day, mall security officers called E-911 to report that subjects who had been involved in the earlier gunshot had returned to the mall.

When officers arrived at the mall, they found the two teens, one was Melvin, while the other was identified as Quincy Keshawn Williams, 17.

Mall Security Officers confirmed Melvin and Williams were the two subjects they called E-911 about. As officers attempted to detain Melvin and Williams to determine what had occurred, they both physically resisted arrest and refused to identify themselves, police say.

When officers first observed Melvin and Williams, they were standing by a trailer. Officers found a firearm under the trailer. A Mall Security Officer told officers that he had observed Williams pull the gun from his jacket and hide it under the trailer as police officers were pulling up.

Melvin and Williams were arrested and transported to Lowndes County Jail.

Melvin and Williams have been charged with two counts of misdemeanor obstruction of a law enforcement officer.

Williams is facing the following additional charges:

• Possession of a firearm by a person under 18 (misdemeanor)
• Tampering with evidence (misdemeanor)
• Possession of a tobacco product by a person under 18 (misdemeanor)

The caliber of the firearm located by officers did not match the caliber of the shell casing found inside the mall. The case of the discharge of a gun inside the mall is still under investigation.

No injuries have been reported.

“The response of our off-duty officer who was shopping with his family, was incredible. He left his family and went to where the gunshot was heard coming from. When witnesses pointed out a person they felt was involved, he took immediate action. If Melvin was not involved, he should have just cooperated with our officer’s requests from the beginning. During the second interaction Melvin had with our uniformed officers, he still resisted them and was he arrested. We are extremely grateful that no one was injured yesterday,” said Chief Leslie Manahan.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact VPD Bureau of Investigative Services at (229) 293-3145, the crime tip line at (229) 293-3091, or file a tip online at www.valdostacity.com/police-department.

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