Mobile New Year’s Eve shooting suspect out of hospital, jailed for murder, assault charges
A 22-year-old man hospitalized after a New Year’s Eve shooting in downtown Mobile killed a man and injured nine people is now in jail, Mobile police announced.
Thomas Thomas, 22, was identified as suspect in the murder of Jatarious Reives, 24.
Thomas was released from the hospital today and taken into custody.
Thomas is charged with murder, assault first degree, shooting into an occupied building and shooting into an unoccupied building.
At about 11:14 p.m. Saturday, during the run-up to the city’s signature New Year’s Eve MoonPie Drop at midnight, gunfire broke out in the 200 block of Dauphin Street.
Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine has said that police don’t think Reives was one of two shooters believed to be involved.
But Prine on Tuesday said that police do think they know who shot him: Thomas, who was treated for a gunshot chest wound at a local hospital. Reives was known Thomas, Prine said.
The other nine injured nine ranged in ages from 17 to 57.
“I am outraged at the violence that occurred last night in downtown Mobile. I am beyond disgusted that the actions of one or two individuals with suspected gang affiliations have taken a life, injured others and tarnished what should have been a safe and fun event,” a statement from Mayor Sandy Stimpson on Sunday read.
Prine has said police think the incident involved loosely organized neighborhood gangs, and that they haven’t ruled out a connection to another shootout, similar in its disregard for bystanders, that took place Dec. 27 in the self-checkout area of the Walmart on Mobile’s I-65 beltline.
This is a developing story and will be updated.