2 arrested for attempted murder

BY BRUCE BRANUM

The Greenville Standard

 

Two suspects have been charged with attempted murder for shootings that occurred on South Conecuh Street on Monday, March 14.

Both Timothy Knight, age 56 of Greenville, and Willie Dunklin, age 53 of Greenville, have been arrested and are being held in the Butler County Correctional Facility on $250,000 bonds.

Knight was arrested on March 14 and charged with attempted murder and reckless endangerment 3.

Dunklin was arrested on Monday, March 21, and charged with attempted murder, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle and reckless endangerment 3.

According to a press release by Greenville Police Chief Justin Lovvorn, “On Monday, March 14, around 5:25 p.m., officers were dispatched to a call of shots fired in the parking lot of a business on South Conecuh Street in Greenville.”

He indicated officers arrived and did not find anyone that was involved in the shooting at the scene.

One officer observed a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed leaving the general area and followed the vehicle to the hospital where one of the occupants was identified as being involved in the shooting.

Dunklin had an injury to his head which he stated was caused by a shotgun.

Lovvorn said, “Investigators spoke briefly with the injured subject who could not give the name of the person who had shot at him.”

Investigators collected evidence at the scene of the shooting and spoke to several possible witnesses.

They were able to identify the Knight as the other person involved in the shooting.

Police were then able to locate Knight and have him come to the police department for questioning.

After investigation, it was determined that two individuals had gotten into a verbal argument inside the business about a refrigerator that had been sold from one to the other.

One person claimed money was still owed on a refrigerator and the other stated the refrigerator didn’t work.

An argument escalated when the two individuals walked out into the parking lot to get in their vehicles.

Both Knight and Dunklin reached into vehicles they drove up in and pulled out weapons and started shooting at each other.

Lovvorn added, “One had a handgun and the other had a shotgun.  One of the individuals was struck by some of the pellets from the shotgun, who then got in his vehicle and drove off. The injury did not appear to be life threatening.  The other subject was not injured.”

He also noted investigators determined both individuals were equally reckless and showed criminal intent to harm the other without sufficient provocation.

Dunklin was treated for his injuries and released from the hospital before being arrested.

Lovvorn said, “The investigators and officers who first arrived on the scene did an excellent job containing the dangerous situation and were able to quickly locate and arrest those involved before any other act of violence could take place.”

He added, “We encourage everyone to call 911 if they see a situation getting out of hand wherever they may be before it escalates out of control.”