Information filed as evidence to hold 21-year-old Shavonte Samuels of Centralia without bond on first degree murder and other charges provides more details on what happened in the Sunday afternoon shooting.
State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth says interviews with investigators indicated the shooting may have been related to an altercation earlier Sunday afternoon at a park involving Samuels’ sister and potentially person(s) associated with a home in the 900 block of East Kell. Hudspeth says this apparently led to the sister picking up Samuels from his place of employment where he told his manager he had to leave early for a family emergency. Those in the vehicle then reportedly drove to the home on East Kell to confront those believed to be involved with the park incident. While there, numerous shots were fired, both towards Samuels group and allegedly by Samuels.
One of the others allegedly hit in the lower abdomen by Samuels’ gunfire, Lorenzo Williams, told police he was in front of the home when the shooting occurred. He stated his younger brother who was fatally injured, 19-year-old Steven McCary III, started shooting back. He said McCary was not carrying the gun, but entered the house and grabbed it. Williams told police he believes at least two people were shooting at them.
A third person struck in the shooting was Aaryanna Jackson. She said a bullet went through a segment of hair on the top of her head that was in a bonnet. Jackson told police she saw her boyfriend, McCary, laying on the ground as she looked out the front door. A person running across the street then turned towards her, aimed, and fired the gun at her. Jackson estimated hearing around 20 gunshots in all.
The fourth victim, a 12-year-old boy, received a minor gunshot wound to his arm. He was leaving his aunt’s home, also in the 900 block of East Kell, and began running home when the gunfire began.
Hudspeth, in asking for Samuels to be held without bond, noted he is currently on four years’ probation for aggravated discharge of a firearm after entering an Alfred plea on February 20th of this year. In that case, Samuels is accused of discharging a firearm in the direction of Zykevious Burnett. Aggravated battery charges dropped as part of the plea agreement accused Samuels of shooting both Burnett and Nyree Dugans in the April 2023 incident in Laura Leake Park.
Samuels was formally charged in Marion County Court on Wednesday with first degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated battery, and possession of a weapon by a felon in connection with the shootings. He was ordered held without bond until an April 29th hearing on the prosecution’s petition to deny pretrial release.
Hudspeth says he is still waiting for all of the state police reports in the case and upon review additional charges could be filed against Samuels and others.
