POPLAR SPRINGS - A domestic altercation led to a shooting where a 30-year-old Double Springs man sprayed bullets into an occupied vehicle in the presence of other adults and a young child,and was arrested on multiple charges, including attempted murder.
Justin Kyle Rowe faces charges of attempted murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle, criminal mischief, as well as two counts of reckless endangerment and two counts of menacing, according to Winston County Sheriff’s Investigator Brad Curtis.
Around midnight Jan. 22, Sheriff’s Deputy Lucas Sheppard, Double Springs Police Officer Tim Hale, Double Springs Reserve Officer Michael Brown and Addison Constable Greg Howse were responding to a report of shots being fired at 6628 County Road 29 in the Poplar Springs area, Curtis said.
The 9-1-1 call came from a female who believed she had been grazed by a bullet, investigators said. The female had called from a neighboring residence after the shooting occurred, according to Curtis.
Law enforcement determined the female was not injured, neither was the male who was in a Ford F-150 pickup when it was sprayed with bullets, law enforcement said.
When law enforcement were on the scene, they found two males in a shop along with a 12-year-old male child in a shop building, where the two adult males were detained by deputies, said Curtis.
Law enforcement found a nine-millimeter handgun believed to have been used in the shooting in a toolbox in the shop, he added.
Authorities took possession of the firearm, notified dispatch there were no injuries and requested assistance from Curtis at the scene, he said.
Curtis responded and talked to the female who claimed to have been grazed by a bullet in the shooting and determined she had not been injured.
During the investigation, Curtis learned that this woman and her boyfriend had gone to the shop to talk with Rowe regarding an ongoing family issue, Curtis said.
Curtis confirmed that alcohol was a factor in the shooting. The female who had called 9-1-1 told Curtis she had left the shop and a verbal altercation resulted with Rowe, with shots being allegedly fired by Rowe into a vehicle occupied by her boyfriend, law enforcement said.
Rowe reportedly used the nine-millimeter handgun to fire shots into the driver’s side door of the truck, as well as the quarter panel or fender area of the truck, authorities said.
None of the shots fired reportedly struck the male inside the vehicle, according to sheriff’s officials.
After the shots were fired, the male in the truck attempted to drive away from the scene, but was hindered by Rowe, who allegedly broke out the driver’s side window with the gun and tore the rear view mirror off the truck, said Curtis.
The driver fled the scene in the truck, traveling a short distance to a neighbor’s house, where it was noticed one of the tires had been flattened, possibly by the gunfire, sheriff’s officials said.
Curtis said they found three shell casings from the gun and heard from witnesses at the scene that at least six shots had been fired.
Curtis and Sheppard took witness statements and documented the scene, collecting evidence, he said.
The Winston County Department of Human Resources was contacted about the 12-year-old male child on the scene, who had been present when the shooting occurred, law enforcement said.
A DHR employee came on the scene and developed a safety plan for a family member to take custody of the child, according to investigators.
Pruitt Towing of Double Springs towed the truck from the scene, impounding it so sheriff’s officials could collect evidence, said Curtis.
Rowe was transported without incident to the Winston County Jail in Double Springs.
The investigation is ongoing due to other victims being involved, according to Curtis.
“This is a unique call,” he said. “We don’t get many calls like this in Winston County. We’re thankful for that.
“I am just glad no one was hurt. This is what happens when you let anger and bad decisions take over,” Curtis added. “Someone could have been seriously injured.”
*When a defendant is charged with a crime, the charge is merely an accusation until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
Subscribe now!