A 24-year-old Anderson County man was charged with attempted murder Friday after an alleged shooting following an argument in Clinton on Wednesday sent another man to a hospital with a gunshot wound on the right side of his abdomen, according to court records and Clinton police officers.
Besides attempted murder, a Class A felony, Cody Alexander Thomas, who has a Marlow address, was also charged with three other felony counts: unlawfully carrying or possessing a weapon, possessing a firearm while committing a dangerous felony, and tampering with evidence.
The shooting was reported at about 2:05 a.m. Wednesday on Rolling Acres Lane, which is off Longmire Road near the Clinch River and State Route 61 a few miles east of downtown Clinton.
The Clinton Police Department responded and found the victim, Brandon Massengale, suffering from the gunshot wound to the right side of his body, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.
“Officers requested EMS to the scene for treatment of the victim, who was then after transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center (in Knoxville),” the CPD said in a Facebook post.
Thomas had left the home where the shooting occurred, the CPD said, and detectives asked the Seventh Judicial District Task Force in Anderson County to help search for him.
About 12 hours after the shooting, CPD Investigator Austin Powell talked to Massengale at the hospital, and Massengale identified Thomas as the shooter, the affidavits said. Massengale said the shooting stemmed from an argument, Powell said in the affidavits.
“Massengale advised that Thomas shot approximately two times, striking him once on the right side,” the affidavits said. “Massengale advised that he had been hanging out with Thomas at the residence for several hours before the shooting occurred and that Thomas had a firearm that he advised was a Glock.”
Thomas was taken into custody that same day at a home on Taylor Lane in Marlow for an active felony probation violation in Anderson County, the affidavits said. The initial charge for the probation was aggravated assault. Thomas was located by Task Force agents and Anderson County Sheriff’s Office deputies, the CPD said.
Thomas was interviewed at the Oak Ridge Police Department, and after being advised of his Miranda rights, he admitted to shooting Massengale in the morning, according to the affidavits.
Thomas also said he discarded the gun used in the shooting, a black Glock 44, close to where the shooting occurred, Powell said in the affidavits.
Bond for Thomas for the attempted murder charge has been set at $1 million. He remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Sunday night. A court date has not been set yet, according to court records.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Thank you for your support!
Copyright 2024 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Leave a Reply