El Dorado men appear in court for assault, other charges

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Two El Dorado men appeared Monday in 35th Judicial District Court for aggravated assault, battery and other charges in connection to two separate incidents that were reported within hours of each other, with one of the incidents resulting in a shooting.

Bonds were set at $25,000 and $20,000, respectively, for Akeem Y. Gibson, 24, of the 100 block of North Murphy, and Herman U. Browning, 41, of the 1100 block of Buchanan.

Gibson and Browning were arrested after El Dorado police responded to reports of domestic disturbances at their respective residences.

Gibson faces charges of second-degree domestic battery and terroristic act and Browning was arrested for aggravated assault on a family or household member, parole violation, third-degree domestic battery, second-degree terroristic threatening and violation of a no contact order.

At 9:55 a.m., police were called to the North Murphy residence in reference to a man allegedly shooting at a woman.

The complainant said the victim and the suspect, later identified as Gibson, had gone inside the house.

Upon arrival, police said they surrounded the residence and attempted to make contact with Gibson by using a public address system.

Police said they heard a woman scream inside the residence and they tried to enter the front door but they were unable to because the door was blocked by furniture.

They said Gibson and the victim exited a side door, noting that the woman, Gibson’s girlfriend, was visibly shaken and blood was coming from her mouth and streaming down her legs.

Gibson was immediately taken into custody and he initially told officers that he had fired at a dog that had been in the front yard.

During a search police said they found a .22-caliber handgun, four spent rounds, and two unspent rounds — .22 caliber — on the ground near the side door, just off the porch.

An empty .22-caliber magazine was recovered from Gibson’s left front pocket, police said.

The victim was transported to Medical Center of South Arkansas, where she told officers that during an argument, Gibson “snapped and began screaming and slamming things inside the residence.”

The woman said she attempted to hide in the bathroom and Gibson followed her, throwing a door, which had already been broken from the hinges, onto the floor.

He then stomped on the door, breaking it into several pieces, she said.

The woman said Gibson then walked out of the house and she followed him, fearing that he would harm himself. While she was standing on the porch, the woman said Gibson walked from the south side of the residence with a pistol in his hand.

He fired two or three shots into the air and pointed the pistol at her, the woman said.

She then told Gibson, “If you’re gonna shoot me, then go ahead and do it,” and Gibson fired “one or two rounds” at her.

The woman said she thought one of the bullets had struck something and she immediately felt a burning sensation in her right leg.

She said she then walked into the house and sat down and when Gibson followed and sat next to her, she walked into the bedroom where Gibson attacked her, striking her multiple times.

Afterward, Gibson said he was leaving and at that point, officers arrived on the scene, the woman said.

Police said the woman had several puncture wounds in her right leg and they later learned there were metal fragments in her leg.

They said her lip was busted and she had several marks on her face.

A police report did not indicate that her injuries were life threatening.

At 3:04 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a 911 hang-up call at the Buchana Street residence and upon arrival, a witness told police that Browning had choked a woman during an argument.

The victim made similar statements.

Police said the victim’s left eye was slightly swollen and she was rubbing her neck as if in pain.

Browning was taken into custody.

A misdemeanor charge if third-degree domestic battery was upgraded to a felony after officers learned had had previously been convicted of the same charge.

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