BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
In Department Head reports Tuesday at the Millbrook City Council, Council President Michael Gay said he is praying for the community after a double shooting that left one young man dead and another in critical condition.
The shooting occurred around 5 p.m. Monday. The person killed was identified as Raven Young, 28, of Millbrook. Identities of others involved have not yet been released, but it includes a 21-year-old out-of-state resident who remains in critical condition from multiple gunshot wounds.
Speaking to Chief P.K. Johnson, Gay said, “I know that you and a lot of your officers have not had much of sleep in the past 24 hours.”
In his report to the Council, Chief Johnson talked about the incident that remains under investigation. He stressed that his office needs help from the community to piece together the actions that led to the shooting. Three people, including the deceased, have been identified. However, there is a fourth person that left the scene before police arrived, and investigators would like to identify that person for questioning.
“Yesterday afternoon (Monday) we responded to a shooting in progress in the 4500 block of Lakeshore Drive. Unfortunately when we arrived on the scene we had one that was deceased and we have another one in critical condition fighting for his life right now,” Chief Johnson said.
“My officers and investigators are working diligently to ascertain what happened out there (Monday.) The only thing I can tell you at this time is there was an altercation that very quickly erupted into violence, guns were used. We have multiple subjects that fired shots. We are appealing to the community to come forward. Somebody out there knows what happened. The police department is not clairvoyant. We use evidence, but we rely very heavily on people. Especially when people witness things such as this.
“I have been here (with the Millbrook Police Department) now for 25 years. I have been in law enforcement for 33 years. Despite what I see on social media when things like this happen, Millbrook is not a violent city. We have a lot of wonderful people that live in this community. They are law abiding citizens, they are very supportive of the police department and the community as a whole. And I will not let this city be tainted in that light. I have men and women that work very hard that put their life on the line every day. They put their lives on the line, both on my side with the police and with the fire department. They keep our city as safe as possible.
“We are not immune to violence. But, unfortunately, the world that we live in today – we have people that will pick up a gun. I don’t know whatever happened to the old-fashioned days. I don’t know how to say this, but when I was growing up if you had a problem with somebody, you balled up your fists, you got in a fight. You got your butt kicked or you didn’t. And you went on about your business. But we don’t know how to do that today.
“I want to assure our citizens, the Mayor and the Council that our police department will continue to do everything that we can to keep our citizens safe. We appreciate your support and the resources you give us. We are not going to allow our city to become what some would classify as a violent community. If you look anywhere in the 360 degree radius of where we are, it surrounds us and it permeates in our nation but this city is not that way and we are not going to let it get that way.”
If you have any information about the fourth individual that witnessed the shooting Monday, please call the Millbrook Police Department at 334-285-6832 or the Secret Witness Line at (334) 285-8500.
