By By Lisa Tindell
Four Atmore men were arrested Friday following grand jury indictments stemming from a shooting that left a local businessman hospitalized on Oct. 26.
Arrested were LaCarlos Antwon Tolbert of Martin Luther King Avenue; Mikeal TyAnthony Starks and Robert Mario Starks, both of Liberty Street; and Alex David Thomas of Park Drive.
All four 17-year-olds were arrested and charged with robbery first degree and attempted murder in connection with the shooting of Thomas McMurray, owner of the Game Room on Martin Luther King Drive.
The suspects were booked into the Escambia County Detention Center on a combined bond of $300,000 each. Tolbert and Thomas were released after bond was posted; however, Mikeal Starks and Robert Starks remain in the Brewton facility pending bond.
Atmore Public Safety Director Glenn Carlee said evidence in the case was presented to a grand jury that issued the indictments for their arrest Friday.
Carlee said McMurray was shot twice during a robbery attempt at approximately 8:45 p.m. Oct. 26 at his business.
In a previous release issued by the Atmore Police Department, officials stated several young black males approached the owner when he was closing up his business for the evening attempting to rob him. When the victim indicated to one of the suspects that he knew him, the unknown gunman fired two rounds from his weapon striking the victim in the chest and the arm.
Officers were only a few blocks away when an Atmore dispatcher received the shots fired call. However, when officers arrived at the scene, the assailants had fled. During their patrol of the area, a motorist informed the officers on the scene that he had been shot during an attempted robbery and that he was en route to the hospital for treatment.
The victim was held overnight at Atmore Community Hospital for treatment and evaluation of his injuries which were not life-threatening.
No other arrests have been made in connection with the case according to officials.