PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A 52-year-old man is facing several charges, including murder, after deputies said he went on a shooting spree in a metro Atlanta neighborhood.
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Just before noon on Saturday, Paulding County dispatch received several calls from neighbors in the Fox Ridge subdivision regarding shots being fired.
When deputies arrived, they learned two residents at two separate homes had been shot in the neighborhood.
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office said other residents at the home held the suspect, later identified as Jody Thomas Wales, 52, down until deputies arrived.
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Officials said two victims, identified as Larry Thomas Wales, 73, and Jason Scott Muncher, 47, were rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Larry Wales later died from his injuries and Muncher remains in critical condition.
“Senseless violence in our community will not be tolerated; we are thankful for the men and women who help keep our county safe on a daily basis,” Sheriff Ashley Henson said.
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Jody Wales was arrested and booked into the Paulding County Jail where he is currently being held without bond.
He’s charged with the following:
- Felony murder
- Malice murder
- Five counts of aggravated assault
- Aggravated battery
- Two counts of burglary
- Two counts of criminal damage to property in the first degree
- Possession of firearm during the commission of a felony
The motive in the shooting remains unclear. The sheriff’s office did not say if the suspect knew the victims or the relationships between them.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the PCSO’s tip line at 770-443-3047 or send a message via the Paulding Sheriff mobile app.
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