Two additional murder suspects arrested in 5 Corner Lotto shooting

Two of the five murder suspects charged in the 5 Corner Lotto shooting that killed a 23-year-old man and wounded his father were arrested on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.

Courtney Williams, 26, and Kimberly Huffman, 30, were apprehended on murder warrants around 4 p.m. Wedneday in the 5800 block Forrest Road. The U.S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force assisted the Columbus Police Department’s Homicide Unit with the arrests.

Williams of Stewart County faces additional charges, including two counts each of aggravated assault, armed robbery and criminal trespassing (family violence) and one count each of felony probation violation, false imprisonment, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Huffman of Columbus also faces one count each of hindering apprehension of person and falsifying documents. They were booked into the Muscogee County Jail for an early Saturday hearing in Columbus Recorder’s Court, but officials plan to have it continued until 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The two were taken into custody after their alleged accomplices, whom police identified as 18-year-old Dominique Collins of Columbus, 18-year-old Jalontaye Cleveland and 17-year-old Joshua Tucker of Columbus. The teens pleaded not guilty to murder and aggravated assault charges in early February and March.

Columbus Police Sgt. Anthony Locey said authorities were called to the shooting at 1231 Linwood Boulevard around 9:53 p.m. that night. 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 said.

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 March 4.

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.

This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 7:32 AM with the headline "Two additional murder suspects arrested in 5 Corner Lotto shooting."