Columbus police: Teen admits to being on scene of fatal 5 Corner Lotto shooting

A 17-year-old claimed he owned the hoodie the shooter was wearing during the 5 Corner Lotto homicide but denied killing the victim, according to testimony Wednesday morning in Columbus Recorder’s Court.

Joshua Tucker pleaded not guilty to murder and aggravated assault charges stemming from the Nov. 6 incident at 1231 Linwood Boulevard. He was ordered held without bond in the Muscogee County Jail.

Judge Julius Hunter bound the case over to Superior Court.

Tucker’s plea comes after Dominique Collins and Jalontaye Clay Cleveland, both 18 of Columbus, pleaded not guilty in early February to the same charges related to the shooting. Officials still are searching for 26-year-old Courtney Williams and 30-year-old Kimberly Huffman, alleged accomplices wanted on murder and aggravated assault warrants.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Columbus Police Sgt. Anthony Locey said authorities were called around 9:53 p.m. Nov. 6. to a shooting at 5 Corner Lotto. Officers found 23-year-old Vatsal Patel and his 56-year-old father suffering from gunshot wounds outside the store.

Patel, who was employed at the store, and his father, who owns it, were transported to Midtown Medical Center. Patel was pronounced dead at the hospital at 10:15 p.m. His father was treated for a gunshot wound to the stomach and released after undergoing emergency surgery.

Locey said officials obtained a surveillance video that showed a SUV arriving on the scene from the 17th Street area and circling the building. Three black men wearing masks and gloves left the area where the SUV pulled onto the scene and headed to the side of the building near Linwood Boulevard.

Locey said they waited outside as the victims closed the business and locked the store. Two of the men were armed with handguns and one was on a cellphone when they approached the father and son, according to police.

One individual shot the father in the stomach through a gallon carton of milk he was holding. Patel then tried to unlock the doors and go back into the business, Locey testified.

That’s when an armed suspect continued to fire several shots, striking him in the upper back as he was fleeing with the other suspects. Officials confirmed that only one weapon was fired, but they have yet to name the shooter.

Locey said Collins and Cleveland told authorities they were at the scene along with Tucker, who they said was armed at the time. Officials issued warrants for his arrest, and he was taken into custody on an unrelated car theft charge on Saturday.

Officials said Tucker initially denied any involvement in the homicide, but he later admitted that he was on the scene. He told police he owned the hoodie the shooter was wearing on surveillance video, but he wasn’t wearing it that night.

Authorities have yet to name the shooter in the homicide.

This story was originally published March 8, 2017 at 11:14 AM with the headline "Columbus police: Teen admits to being on scene of fatal 5 Corner Lotto shooting."