Atmore police say they have a ‘person of interest’ in Tuesday’s death
An Atmore man was gunned down outside his vehicle early Tuesday morning and Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said they “have a person of interest” as a suspect, but as of press time Wednesday no arrest had been made.
Atmore police received a 911 call about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 24 stating a person had been shot on Jimbos Road. When police and emergency medical personnel arrived they found the body of Roderick Watkins, Jr., 23, lying next to a car in the driveway at 76 Jimbos Road. Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene.
“We have a person of interest who has been interviewed and we hope to make an arrest soon,” Brooks said Wednesday morning.
When investigators arrived at the scene they discovered six or seven shell casings around the vehicle where Watkins' body was lying beside.
According to police reports, investigators learned that Watkins was returning from work when a lone gunman approached him and began shooting. A witness at the scene told officers after hearing the gunfire, they ran outside and saw a male subject running from the scene.
The Alabama Department of Corrections' K-9 tracking team was called to assist with the search of the person seen running from the scene. After a brief search, it was determined the subject may have left the area in a vehicle.
