Two Jonesboro Men Arrested After Teen Grazed by Gunfire

JONESBORO, Ark. — Two Jonesboro men face felony allegations after investigators say a passenger fired from a departing pickup truck at two juveniles during an encounter arranged for a marijuana sale, grazing one juvenile in the leg. Bond was set at $250,000 cash or surety for each man Monday, according to court documents.

Laryarbrough Mullins, 20, faces allegations of first-degree battery and aggravated assault in connection with the Oct. 16 shooting on Westwood Drive. Jakarius Lamont Clay, 20, faces those same allegations and an additional allegation of leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage.

Separate probable cause affidavits identify Mullins as the passenger who allegedly fired and Clay as the driver. Investigators say Mullins admitted firing a handgun as the vehicle drove away, while telling police he believed people were attempting to rob him.

Updated Oct. 19 with probable cause affidavits and first-appearance documents for both suspects, including their accounts, allegations, bonds and release conditions.

Witnesses Describe Shots From Departing Truck

Officers responded to a reported shooting on Westwood Drive on Oct. 16. The initial incident report places the shooting between 4:30 and 4:35 p.m.

A complainant told officers a girl had nearly been struck by gunfire coming from a red or maroon pickup truck as it sped away from the area in front of a vacant residence, according to the affidavits.

Other neighbors reported seeing two males speaking with the truck’s occupants immediately before the vehicle sped away while shots were fired at them. Multiple residents provided video footage capturing the incident, the affidavits state.

The initial police narrative says residents heard numerous shots and saw a red pickup fleeing at a high rate of speed. They also told officers they believed someone inside a nearby residence had been shot.

As officers approached to check for victims, one officer saw a male in the backyard quickly round a corner out of sight after seeing police. Two males subsequently came out the front of the residence, according to the initial report.

Officers spoke with two juvenile males who had interacted with the truck’s occupants. One had an injury to his left ankle or calf that he had attempted to bandage. Officers said the injury appeared consistent with a bullet grazing his leg.

The initial report identifies the injured juvenile as 17 and describes a laceration to his left ankle, classified as a minor injury.

Affidavits Describe Planned Marijuana Sale

Statements gathered during the investigation indicated that a person known only as “Gucci” traveled to Westwood Drive with two other individuals to sell marijuana to the two juveniles, according to the affidavits. The documents do not specify which person used that nickname.

After the juveniles said they no longer wanted to purchase the marijuana, the front-seat passenger, who was wearing a red sweatshirt or jacket, produced a tan handgun and began firing at them as the vehicle sped away, investigators allege.

Mullins’ affidavit says he matched the description provided for the shooting suspect.

Camera Footage, Suspect Interviews and Recovered Guns

Investigators obtained a license plate number from intersection-camera footage in the area. Registration information led officers to a residence on Oriole Drive, where they located the truck, according to the affidavit.

Officers contacted several people at the residence. Three confirmed they had been inside the vehicle during the incident, consistent with information provided by the victims. All three were taken for interviews.

Investigators identified Clay as the driver and Mullins as a passenger. Mullins told investigators he was sitting in the front middle passenger seat when he believed people were attempting to rob him, according to his affidavit.

Mullins said that as the truck began to drive away, he began firing a tan handgun that had been in the vehicle seat. He did not specify how many times he fired, according to the affidavit.

During his separate interview, Clay admitted agreeing to transport the other individuals to meet the victims, fleeing while gunfire was occurring in his truck, striking another vehicle and then traveling to the Oriole Drive address, according to his affidavit.

A search of the truck revealed two firearms in the center console, according to Clay’s affidavit. Investigators said one matched the firearm observed being used in the shooting. Mullins’ affidavit also says a firearm found in the vehicle matched the descriptions provided by the victims and Mullins.

The initial report’s property inventory lists a Smith & Wesson Shield and a Taurus G3, both 9 mm handguns, among the seized evidence. It also lists a bullet and a bullet fragment recovered from Westwood Drive.

Investigators cited Clay’s alleged involvement in driving to the location, fleeing the scene and subsequently storing the firearms as the basis for taking him into custody. Both Clay and Mullins were transported to the Craighead County Detention Center, according to their affidavits.

The initial police report lists Clay, Mullins and a juvenile as arrestees. Most investigative narratives were redacted from that report. The affidavits do not identify the third person interviewed by name.

Charges, Bond and Next Court Date

At their Oct. 19 first appearances, a judge found probable cause for first-degree battery, a Class B felony, and aggravated assault, a Class D felony, against both men.

The judge also found probable cause against Clay for leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage of at least $1,000 but less than $10,000, a Class A misdemeanor.

The first-degree battery allegation against each man is listed as purposely causing physical injury to another person by means of a firearm.

The first-appearance paperwork lists potential penalties of five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000 for first-degree battery, and up to six years and a fine of up to $10,000 for aggravated assault. Clay’s misdemeanor allegation carries a listed potential penalty of up to one year and a fine of up to $2,500. Those are potential penalties, not sentences imposed in this case.

Bond was set at $250,000 cash or surety for each man. Both orders also list ankle monitoring “by agreement.”

Both men’s next court appearances are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 23 at the Craighead County Courthouse.