Two of three suspects in a Gulfport armed robbery where an AK-47 was used to shoot the victim were caught in Columbia this week.
Columbia police arrested James Earl Walker III, 19, of Jayess and Aundrea Lashann Mitchell, 19, of Ocean Springs at a home on West Rankin Street, according to Lt. Commander Jonathan Harrison. A third suspect, Arron Maiella Boudreaux, 22, of Gulfport was taken into custody on the Coast.
According to Harrison, the trio was wanted in connection with the armed robbery and shooting of a victim around 3:15 a.m. May 8 in Gulfport. The victim was shot in the abdomen. Gulfport police said the man was in the 1700 block of 65th Avenue to meet a woman he knew from social media. When he got there, he was approached by two armed men who demanded property and shot him. The victim managed to drive himsel f to the hospital for treatment.
“Gulfport called us and asked if we could make contact with two suspects who were involved in the shooting and armed robbery and were supposed to be staying at a residence on West Rankin Street in the city,” Harrison said. “Officers went out and saw a vehicle matching the description given by Gulfport PD. They knocked on the door and made contact with the two suspects that GPD described and arrested them. Officers also seized an AK-47 that was allegedly used in the shooting and robbery.”
The suspects are each charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault. They were being held as of Thursday at the Harrison County Detention Center on $300,000 bond apiece. Gulfport detectives traveled to Columbia to pick up Walker and Mitchell.
