TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A man has been arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting in Tallahassee that injured an 18-year-old Thursday night.
The Tallahassee Police Department says Benjamin Eliaas has been arrested for the shooting near the 2200 block of Brighton Road Thursday night.
A probable cause document says police got a call about an 18-year-old who had shown up at a local fire station with gunshot wounds to his legs and buttocks.
When they spoke with the victim, he said he was in the back seat of the car as he and two other men road through South City. As the car came to a stop at an unknown intersection, the victim said he heard shooting and realized he had been shot.
The victim said one of his family members came to pick him up and take him to a fire station for treatment.
Later on, officers found the vehicle the suspect was in when he shot at the victims' car. It was parked at a home in the 800 block of South Magnolia Drive. Police also found shattered glass at the intersection of South Magnolia Drive and Brighton Road.
Documents say that as officers secured the crime scene, Elias pulled up, parked, got out of the car, and began walking to the house where the SUV was at. Two of the victims were able to identify Elias as the man who shot at their car, so police detained him.
Police determined that the home the car was parked at belonged to Elias', so they got a warrant to search the home. During the search, police found the following:
- 2 glass jars with 346.5g of cannabis
- 2 glass jars with 57 individually packaged baggies of cannabis weighing 87.8g
- A blending container containing 40.6g of cocaine
- Digital scale on the dresser of the master bedroom
- 5 packages of clear plastic baggies commonly used for drugs on the dresser of the master bedroom
- Ruger .45 caliber firearm in the trunk of Elias' Mercedes
- Stag Arms AR-15 rifle in the trunk Elias' Mercedes
- Ammo
- DVR for the video surveillance system in the master bedroom
- Plastic gun box for the Ruger firearm found in plain view inside the SUV
Documents say that police later reviewed the DVR video found in the house. When they did, they saw that an unknown man in a black, hooded sweatshirt tried to break into Elias' home. A little while later, Elias can be seen coming home in the SUV, and before long, he removed a box from his Mercedes and hopped back in his vehicle along with a woman.
The video then showed Elias backing out of the driveway and stopping at the intersection of South Magnolia Drive and Brighton Road as the victims' car pulled up. Documents say Elias slowly followed the victim's car as they tried to back up and eventually hopped out the SUV to shoot at the car.
Officers write Elias shot at the car several times before getting back in the SUV to follow the victims' car. A little while later, Elias' SUV returned to the house. Once there, he and the woman began picking up the expended shell casings.
Investigators note that the man in the black appeared to be the 18-year-old victim, however, officers weren't able to confirm the identity.
Based on the evidence, Elias was arrested and charged with:
- Aggravated battery with a firearm
- 2 counts of aggravated assault with a firearm
- Fire weapon missile into vehicle
- Trafficking cocaine
- Possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 200ft of public park
- Possession of paraphernalia
- Maintaining a drug house
TPD: Man shows up to local fire station with gunshot wound
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Tallahassee Police Department is investigating a shooting where a man showed up to a local fire station with a non-life threatening gunshot wound.
At about 5:07 p.m. Thursday, TPD was called to a local fire station in response to a shooting.
When officers arrived on scene, they spoke with emergency personnel who said that a man arrived at the fire station with a non-life threatening gunshot wound.
TPD states they were able to determine the incident location was near the 2200 block of Brighton Road.
The case has been assigned to investigators with TPD's Violent Crimes Unit.
At this time they are interviewing all known witnesses and reviewing evidence.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about this case to please call them at (850) 891-4200 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-TIPS.
