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Valdosta Police Chief Frank Simons announces the arrest of one of the suspects in the mass shooting Sunday. With Simons is Valdosta Mayor John Fretti who announced plans to end the violence in the community.
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Using crutches, Bernard Sanders walks toward the front of the courtroom for his arraignment hearing in front of Chief Magistrate Court Judge Joni Parker Thursday.
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A participant in the Hudson Dockett prayer vigil places her candle at the spot where one of the victims of Sunday’s violence was shot. Jonathan Chick
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A group gathers at the site of Sunday’s shooting in Hudson Dockett Thursday night. Jonathan Chick
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Bernard Sanders
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Shooting arrest
Additional arrests expected in mass shooting at Hudson Dockett
VALDOSTA — Authorities arrested a Valdosta man in connection with the Sunday mass shooting at the Hudson Dockett housing project.
Bernard Sanders, 24, was arrested near Lake Park during a traffic stop Wednesday night, said Valdosta Police Chief Frank Simons. Sanders is charged with felony murder and is being held at Lowndes County Jail with no bond, Simons added.
Additional charges are pending against Sanders, and police expect one, possibly two, more arrests in connection with the shooting.
“We are continuing the investigation and have leads identifying at least one other person,” Simons said. “We hope to issue another arrest warrant in the near future.”
Simons said that the shooting was not believed to be gang related, but the Valdosta Police Department did receive assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation South Georgia Gang Task Force, along with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and Thomas County Sheriff’s Office.
“I must definitely commend the hard work of our investigators,” Simons added. “In my 22-year career as a police chief, this is the first time I’ve had a case that involved this many victims, and it was confusing. The investigators have done a wonderful job on this case and emphasized that speed was not of the essence — accuracy was.”
Valdosta Mayor John Fretti congratulated the police department on the progress of the case and discussed ways the City of Valdosta plans to help combat crime in the community.
“This case has affected the region with ripples of concern and fear,” Fretti said. “The Valdosta City Council strongly supports the police force and is discussing a community task force. It is up to us to address this so we may take back our community.”
The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Eleven people were reportedly shot during the incident, including 19-year-old Sidney Bivens, who succumbed to his injuries shortly after being transported to the hospital.
One person remains hospitalized in stable condition, Simons said Thursday.
In response to several rumors surrounding the shooting, Valdosta Police Capt. Bobbi McGraw said that Bivens was not identified as a shooter in this incident.
McGraw added that the suspect, Sanders, was injured on the night of the shooting and treated at the hospital. She said that Sanders does have a criminal history, but could not release any further information.
During Sanders’ arraignment Thursday, he indicated that he was out on probation for a family violence charge. It also appeared that the suspect had been wounded in his right leg.
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