An 18-year-old Macon teenager is dead and two 21-year-old men are recovering in the hospital after a shootout erupted near Clinton Road, leaving behind a chaotic scene of gunfire, running bystanders and a neighborhood now demanding answers. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office identified the teen as Kyle Clark, and investigators say the violence unfolded in broad daylight, just blocks from an apartment complex where families were home in the middle of the afternoon.
According to 13WMAZ, Bibb County deputies say Clark was killed in a shootout at the Village Market gas station in East Macon, and that two 21-year-old men were wounded in the same gunfire. Deputies told the station the wounded men were listed in stable condition at a Macon hospital, and that their names have not been released. 13WMAZ reported that Clark died at the scene, though a separate account from 41NBC states he was pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital, along with the two wounded men.
Surveillance footage reviewed by 13WMAZ reportedly shows several people shooting at one another at the gas station, with people in the video appearing to attempt to move a victim into a car in the parking lot before others ran across the street toward Wood Valley Apartment Homes. The station's report states the shooting occurred at the gas station itself, not at the apartment complex, even as people fled in that direction afterward.
Conflicting Details on Where the Gunfire Started
41NBC reported that the Bibb County Sheriff's Office said the shooting happened in the 1900 block of Clinton Road, while WGXA described the incident as a shooting at the Wood Valley Apartments on Clinton Road — a location that differs from the gas station account given to 13WMAZ. 41NBC's report also noted a discrepancy in how many people were shot: the sheriff's office told the station three men were hit, while Coroner Leon Jones had earlier told 41NBC that two men had been shot. The station has not resolved the difference.
Video shared with 13WMAZ by Village Market's owners was reported by Yahoo News to show at least two people hit and four people with guns during the gunfire, which the sheriff's office said happened around 2 p.m. in the 1900 block of Clinton Road. WGXA reported that the sheriff's office said the incident remains under active investigation, and deputies have not said what led to the shootout.
Neighbors Describe Chaos and Fast Police Response
Thomas Stephens, who was driving by at the time, told 13WMAZ he heard gunfire and saw people running. He said police arrived about three minutes after he heard the shots, and that officers quickly put up caution tape around the area. Nearby residents say they often see police responding to calls on Clinton Road, a pattern that has left some in the area on edge.
Phillip Tipton, property manager at Wood Valley Apartment Homes, called the shooting a tragedy and said action is needed to prevent more gun violence in Macon. He expressed frustration that it takes a tragedy to draw attention to concerns he says have been raised repeatedly, and said he worries the danger could eventually cause local properties and businesses to shut down.
Calls for More Police Presence
Tipton said he wants more support and greater visibility from the sheriff's office, including more officers patrolling the area, and said he has even offered housing at Wood Valley Apartment Homes to officers who are looking for a place to live. The sheriff's office has asked anyone with information to contact investigators at 478-751-7500 or to leave an anonymous tip with Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 1-877-68CRIME, according to Yahoo News.
