Columbus police recovered casing in AK-47 shooting — but witnesses changed their stories

Police investigated a shooting involving an AK-47 rifle at Columbus Villas Apartments and talked with two witnesses involved, but both stories changed Thursday in Recorder’s Court.

Juwan Whitehorn, 20, pleaded not guilty to one count each of criminal attempted burglary and aggravated assault in the Sept. 20 dispute at 6016 Georgetown Drive. With a change in testimonies about the 9:45 p.m. shooting, defense attorney Mike Garner asked Judge Mike Joyner to dismiss the charge in the case or reduce the bond. Joyner agreed to reduce the attempted burglary to criminal trespassing and set bond at $2,500 on the aggravated assault because Whitehorn has no previous offenses. Both charges were bound over to Muscogee Superior Court.

Columbus Police Cpl. Jacob Siter said police were called to the housing area to check on a man shooting at another man. He was flagged down near Apartment #25 by a woman who said the gunman had twists in his hair. She also could tell he was upset with an older man in the area.

At the scene, Siter said Darian Page identified Whitehorn as her baby’s father who came to the apartment, kicked in the door and broke the door frame. Deandre Robinson, who is the stepfather of Whitehorn and lives nearby, said a gun was pointed at him. In a statement to Siter, Robinson said the suspect shot at him and fled from the area.

Siter said police recovered a 7.62 shell casing used in an AK-47 rifle at the scene.

Initial statements from Page and Robinson were recorded by the officer’s body camera.

In court, Robinson said he didn’t see a gun at the apartment and his back was turned when he heard the shot.

Matt Brown, an assistant district attorney, read the officer’s statement from Robinson that indicated the gun was pointed at him.

“I didn’t see him pull the trigger,” Robinson testified.

Details also changed for Page. She said a shot was fired but she didn’t see who fired it. She also said the door frame had been damaged before that night.

Looking back over the police report, Brown noted that Page was under oath and had said she saw the gun and described it as 2 feet long.

“I am real confused,” Brown said.

He then questioned Siter asking whether the report was made up.

“No sir,” Siter testified.

The answer was the same when Garner asked, ”Could you have got the names mixed up?”

Whitehorn surrendered to police seven days after the shooting was reported. He testified there was no gun at the apartment. He also has a job at the foundry in Columbus and wants to return to work.

Before agreeing to a motion to reduce a charge, Joyner said there is probably cause in the case.

“We got the cartridge,” he said. “We know the gun fired.”

This story was originally published October 4, 2018 at 3:26 PM.