By Kaitlyn Tolleson and Tia Lyons
News-Times Staff
In reference to shots fired on Tuesday evening, a Union County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dispatched to 1718 Champagnolle Road, according to a UCSO report.
Upon arrival, the deputy spoke with Mary Aubrey, the owner of the residence. She told the deputy that she was inside the home when she heard what sounded like gun shots, according to the report.
“I heard at least 10 shots,” said Aubrey. “They were just one after another.”
Aubrey said she heard her children running from the front yard to the side of the house.
“When I came up to see what was wrong, they were still around back,” said Aubrey. “It was scary.”
Aubrey went outside to find that her vehicle had a hole through the windshield, according to the report. There were also two holes in the front right side of the house, according to Aubrey. She said that one bullet went through the front window of the house and into a room.
Aubrey’s son, a 17-year-old, was outside with his brother when the shots were fired, according to the report. He told the deputy that he saw a maroon, older model Toyota leaving the area at a high rate of speed. He also gave the name of who he believed to be the driver.
The 17-year-old said that he saw the maroon vehicle drive slowly over the bridge about 30 feet from their home before firing off many shots and speeding away.
Another vehicle was also hit in the incident. Willie Burns, who was at the residence during the shooting, was the owner of the other damaged vehicle, a white sport utility vehicle. Bullet holes were visible on the front windshield of the SUV and it appeared as though the bullet exited the right rear portion of the vehicle.
UCSO deputies and El Dorado Police Department officers worked together and saw the suspect’s vehicle on Buchanan Street. One of the victims, who is unidentified in the report, was taken to the location of the suspect’s vehicle, where the victim identified it as the vehicle that had driven by the home at the time of the shooting.
After combing the area, according to the police report, the suspect could not be located, but, the suspect’s vehicle was towed to the Union County Sheriff’s Office by M&A Wrecker Service.
“We thank God that we are all OK,” said Aubrey.
According to the 17-year-old, his brother was on his way to the UCSO on Wednesday afternoon to talk with the investigators about the suspected shooter, recognized by the brother.
The shooting is still under investigation. More coverage will be provided as details emerge.
• • •
Two people were arrested on several felony and misdemeanor charges in connection to separate shootings that occurred within an hour of each other Wednesday inside El Dorado city limits.
No injuries were reported in either incident. A window in a commercial building was reportedly damaged in one of the shootings.
John P. Ellis, 20, of 511 E. Block, was arrested at 10:26 a.m. for theft by receiving, carrying a weapon and fleeing.
Less than an hour later across town, Shakeda L. Staples, 35, of 1004 B Ave., was taken into custody on three counts of aggravated assault, committing a terroristic act, felony with a firearm, public intoxication and carrying a weapon.
El Dorado police were called at 10:22 a.m. to the 500 block of East Block in reference to a male firing a gun into the air.
They also received a report that a female carrying a plunger was chasing the male, who was later identified as Ellis.
While driving south on Smith, police said they saw a male matching the description provided by 911 dispatchers, noting that a female with a plunger was following him.
Officers said Ellis ignored commands to come to them and talk and began running south on Smith.
As he neared the intersection of Smith and East Block, Ellis pulled a gun from his waistband, police said.
They said he jumped a wooden privacy fence in the backyard of a residence in the 700 block of East Block and knocked a portion of the fence down.
Officers caught up with Ellis in the 200 block of South Park and took him into custody.
They recovered a revolver in a yard in the area of Smith and east Block, where Ellis had pulled a gun from his waistband.
Police Chief Billy White said investigators were working to determine what led to the incident.
At 11:03 a.m., police responded to a report of a woman firing a gun at the intersection of South Washington and Center.
Police said they spotted a woman matching the description of the suspect two blocks away in the area of South West Avenue and Center.
Officers commanded Staples to walk over to them. They said Staples smelled strongly of intoxicants and admitted that she had been drinking.
She denied having a gun and shooting it in the area.
Police said surveillance video footage from a business in the area of South Washington and Center showed Staples in the parking lot.
They said she appeared agitated, and she removed a gun from her purse.
Staples began waving the gun near the front entrance of the business and a vehicle that was parked on the parking lot, police said.
As the vehicle left the parking lot and turned onto South Washington, Staples could be seen walking in the same direction, firing multiple shots.
Officers located the vehicle a short time later on Rock Island Avenue and spoke with the driver, who said he did not know why Staples became upset.
He said that when she fired a shot into the air, he drove away, and Staples began shooting at the vehicle.
Police said the vehicle was not damaged. The front window of a business in the area was damaged, according to a police report.
Staples was also arrested on a warrant for a misdemeanor charge of enforcement of fines.