By By Adam Prestridge
The man suspected of shooting two people on Oct. 10 is behind bars today after officers with the Atmore Police Department discovered him hiding in an attic.
According to Atmore Public Safety Director Glenn Carlee, 21-year-old Charles Franklin Jones was arrested around 4:30 p.m. last Friday after he was discovered in the attic of apartment C3 at The Pines II off Jack Springs Road. Jones is suspected of shooting 20-year-old Willie James Hudson Jr. in the upper leg and a juvenile in the back after firing a pistol numerous times on Jones Street.
Two Atmore women, April McWilliams, 28, and Chasity McWilliams, 25, were also arrested for hindering prosecution after Carlee said they were not truthful about Jones’ whereabouts.
Three grammar school aged children were also in the apartment at the time of the arrests. Carlee said they were released into their grandparents’ custody at the scene.
Dispatchers with the Atmore Police Department received a call at 9:09 p.m. on Oct. 10 of shots fired on Jones Street. The responding officer was one block away when he arrived at the scene where he found four males running south on Jones Street. As the officer approached the individuals he discovered that Hudson and a juvenile were injured.
Hudson was transported to Atmore Community Hospital and was then airlifted to USA Medical Center in Mobile. The juvenile was airlifted from Atmore Community Hospital to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla. Both victims were treated and released the following day.
Statements indicate that four individuals were walking on Jones Street when Jones approached Hudson. Jones then allegedly shot Hudson in the upper leg. As the remaining individuals began to run, Jones fired his weapon three more times striking the juvenile in the back.
Investigators later spoke with Jones by telephone where he indicated that he would turn himself in to police, but he failed to do so. Jones was on the run for nearly a week until officers caught up to him Friday.
Jones has been charged with first-degree assault and is currently being held at the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton on a $250,000 bond, according to jail personnel. Chasity McWilliams and April McWilliams also remain behind bars, both being held on $25,000 bonds.