Alibi clears man arrested in courthouse shooting; two others arrested
Updated: Police say a Wal-Mart alibi has cleared a man originally identified as the gunman in a courthouse shooting in Nashville, North Carolina, on Tuesday that wounded two men.
Police released Ontarius Lewis III, 23, of Rocky Mount, after questioning and no longer consider him a suspect, report the Associated Press, Reuters and the Raleigh News & Observer. Lewis “was definitely not the person that did any shooting,” said Nashville, North Carolina, Police Chief Thomas Bashore.
A cousin of Lewis’ had said Lewis had been at the courthouse that morning, but he was with her at Wal-Mart at the time of the shooting, a claim police were able to verify, the News & Observer says.
Meanwhile police said on Thursday that they have arrested two brothers in the shooting, the Raleigh News & Observer reports. They are Demond Levar Morris, 36, who was earlier identified as a suspect, and Brandon Tremaine Morris, 31. Both are charged with assault with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. Brandon Morris is the alleged gunman, Nashville Police Chief Thomas Bashore told the newspaper.
The shooting victims, Donte’a Evans and Lamar Ricks, were in critical condition on Wednesday. Witnesses had said the gunman appeared to be waiting for the victims to exit the courthouse and began firing when they stepped outside.
Updated at 11:15 a.m. to include news of second arrest.
