2 men shot in separate incidents

    Two local men were arrested in separate shootings last week.
    The first incident happened on Holland Farm Road near Andrews around 8 p.m. June 16. A 51-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder after another man exited a tire shop, reached into a truck and fired a handgun.
    The shooter – identified by sheriff’s deputies as Jeffery Brian Curtis, 56 – allegedly told authorities he believed the victim stole property from his shop.
    “He was mad because some car batteries had been stolen,” Lt. Tiffany Holland said. “The passenger [in the truck] said, ‘He reached in behind my head and pulled the trigger.’ ”
    The victim told deputies he pulled up in front of the shop to check on Curtis’ health after hearing he had surgery. The victim was flown to a hospital in Tennessee after the shooting and has since been released.
    “There was no exit wound, and when I spoke with [the victim] he said they were going to leave [the bullet] in there,” Holland said. “I don’t think it’s near any major organs or they probably would’ve removed it.”
    Curtis, who has been arrested numerous times over the years for alleged offenses ranging from drug possession to assault on a female, is charged with a felony count of assault with a deadly weapon. A judge set a secured bond at $25,000. Curtis paid 10 percent and walked out of jail later that evening.
    The second shooting happened on Martins Creek Road south of Murphy around 3:46 a.m. Saturday. A 46-year-old man suffered wounds to the chest after being hit with birdshot from a 20-gauge shotgun. A sheriff’s deputy also suffered injuries after being hit by glass shards.
    The shooter – identified as Alek Vincent Beavers, 22 – is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, both felony offenses. A judge set a secured bond at $50,000.
    Deputies were dispatched to Beavers’ home after a relative in the house expressed concern about a situation earlier in the day that had escalated. A deputy was speaking with another
one of the relatives outside the house when Beavers allegedly fired a shotgun through the window. The officer did not return fire because he could not see into the home and didn’t know who else may have been inside.
    “He would’ve been shooting blind,” Holland said. “That’s not something we would do unless we absolutely had to.”
    Two other officers were on scene at the time of the shooting. They all took cover and ordered everyone in the home to exit before clearing the property and arresting Beavers.
    The motive for the argument and shooting remains unclear. Beavers remains in custody as of press time.