A man previously out of jail on bond in a murder case now faces charges after a shootout at a DeKalb County gas station left three bystanders injured, authorities said Thursday. Darius Morris, 34, implicated in the gas station incident on Candler Road, was detained without bond until a hearing set for early May, as Atlanta News First reported.
Back in 2020, Morris was released on bond in connection to a separate case after allegedly being involved in a gunfight that led to his girlfriend's death. Despite the severity, of the charges, court records indicated Morris was granted bond which allowed him to be under house arrest with specific conditions for movement. According to records obtained by 11Alive, Morris faced charges of aggravated assault from that incident as well.
The recent shootout at the Circle K on Tuesday, caught on surveillance video, resulted in two men being hospitalized with gunshot wounds and one other man suffering a graze wound. Though the investigation is ongoing, as of now police have not made any additional arrests linked to the gunfire exchange. The DeKalb County District Attorney's office, in response to the latest charges against Morris, has filed a motion to revoke his bond from the 2020 case, seeking to return him to custody.
In a statement provided to 11Alive, the DeKalb District Attorney's Office said, "Our office is aware of the new charges against Darius Maurice Morris in connection with a shooting at a DeKalb County gas station. Morris is a defendant in a previous shooting in our county in October 2020." The office highlighted their prior opposition to Morris being granted bond and detailed the subsequent legal actions taken following the new allegations.
As Morris awaits his forthcoming court appearances, local authorities are calling for any witnesses with additional information to come forward to aid in the investigation of the Candler Road gas station shootout, highlighting the importance, of community cooperation in such cases. The case against Morris also underscores the broader conversation on bail reform and pretrial detention practices in the wake of violent incidents.