Man convicted of 2022 City Market shooting received enhanced sentence on federal weapons charges

A Chatham County man who fired multiple shots that wounded two people in Savannah's City Market on Nov. 6, 2022, has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison, according to a press release issued by Barry L. Paschal, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Georgia.

Joshua Bowser, 29, of Savannah, was sentenced to 125 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Bowser to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Federal sentences do not come with the possibility of parole.

“Joshua Bowser demonstrated blatant disregard for the safety of hundreds of residents and visitors to Savannah’s popular City Market, wounding two people while indiscriminately firing multiple shots into a crowd,” U.S. Attorney Jill Steinberg said, according to the press release. “With our Savannah law enforcement partners, we will continue our work to hold accountable those who illegally possess guns and threaten the safety of our communities.”

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What were the circumstances of the shooting?

The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Savannah Police Department (SPD, and prosecuted by the U.S. Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese.

According to a plea agreement reviewed by the Savannah Morning News, that investigation found that at 1:41 a.m. on Nov. 6, 2022, Bowser and another man were involved in a brief altercation in Savannah’s City Market, near Jefferson and West Saint Julian streets.

The other man struck Bowser and then backed away. “After striking Defendant, DB began raising his fists to fight. In response, Defendant pulled out a firearm from his waistband and fired approximately 6-8 gunshots, striking DB and a random bystander, Victim 'AC.'"

Bowser used a 9mm semiautomatic firearm. The other man was unarmed, and both victims survived.

An aggravated assault warrant was issued later that day for Bowser, according to the plea agreement. Officers served the aggravated assault warrant to Bowser on West Bay and Spring streets. Bowser attempted to run from police, but was caught and found him in possession of a Glock Model 26, and a 9mm caliber pistol, which was loaded with one round of ammunition. Officers also found an extended magazine on Bowser. Officers used the National Integrated Ballistics Network (NIBIN) to determine that the shell casings found at the shooting scene in City Market may have been ejected from the Glock found on Bowser.

An ATF trace on the firearm found that it was manufactured in Georgia and shipped to Arizona.

On September 15, 2016, Bowser was convicted in Chatham County Superior Court of obstruction of police, possession of firearm during the commission of a felony, terroristic threats, possession of controlled substances, carrying a weapon without a license, possession of marijuana, and battery of a high and aggravated nature, according to the plea agreement.

Bowser pled guilty to the federal charges in February of this year. At sentencing, Judge Baker agreed to the government’s request to enhance Bowser’s sentence on the firearms charge because his conduct constituted attempted murder, and because his actions caused serious bodily injury, according to the press release.

“Joshua Bowser is a very violent individual who displays a total lack of concern for the lives of others. This sentence represents the seriousness of his crime,” said Beau Kolodka, assistant special agent in charge of the ATF's Atlanta Field Office. “This sentence also ensures that Bowser will not be able to hurt or terrorize anyone else for a very long time.”

The Chatham County District Attorney's Office is still prosecuting Bowser on crimes tied to the same incident, according to a review of Chatham County Superior Court documents. A Chatham County grand jury indicted Bowser for two counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon during a crime and possession of marijuana less than an ounce. A status conference for counsel is scheduled for June 24.

Bowser’s sentencing comes as the SPD and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) continue to investigate another, unrelated incident that occurred on May 18 in Ellis Square on the eastern edge of City Market. Multiple precincts responded to downtown Savannah, where they discovered multiple people with gunshot wounds. In all, 11 adults were treated for injuries, including six with gunshot wounds. Thus far, SPD has arrested five suspects tied to the Ellis Square shooting. On Monday, search warrants were secured for two additional suspects.

Drew Favakeh is the public safety and courts reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@Gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Man receives enhanced federal sentence for 2022 City Market shooting