Two arrested in downtown shooting
Oct. 18—Those put at substantial risk during a downtown Beckley shooting last week on Beckley's Chili Night included a 16-year-old juvenile and eight others, according to the criminal complaints of the two arrested in connection with the shooting.
Police made a second arrest in the shooting incident on Friday, Oct. 14, charging Traysouan Gregsyia Robertson, 18, of Beckley with six counts of wanton endangerment with a firearm.
Shots were reportedly fired in Beckley's downtown on Oct. 8 as Chili Night festivities were wrapping up.
Earlier in last week police arrested Colton Eric Adkins, 23, of MacArthur on five counts of wanton endangerment involving a firearm.
According to the criminal complaint for Robertson and Adkins, at approximately 8:09 p.m. on Oct. 8, "two volleys of gunfire erupted" near downtown Beckley which could be heard by bystanders attending Chili Night as well officers working the event detail.
It is estimated in the complaint that "thousands of people" were walking around downtown Beckley for the festival which was taking place a few blocks away from where the shots were fired.
The complaint states that the gunfire was believed to have originated from the 200 block of South Heber Street, which officers "immediately ran towards."
It was in this area that officers located 11 casings, six of one caliber and five of another caliber.
"Due to the different calibers used during the shooting and the distance between them, it was determined that at least two suspect fired shots and it appears that they may have been shooting at each other," the complaint states.
The day after the shooting took place, the complaint states that Beckley Police Detective Corporal M.P. Deems was assigned as the primary investigator on the case.
Upon review of video footage, physical evidence and witness statements, Deems states in the complaint that he determined Robertson was responsible for firing a firearm six times and Adkins was responsible for firing a firearm five times.
The complaint further states that in discharging their firearms, Robertson and Adkins "created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to nine people."
The complaint identifies those individuals as a 16-year-old juvenile, four adults and four "yet to be identified bystander(s)."
No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting.
Following the shooting, the complaint states that Robertson fled the area on foot.
Police arrested Adkins on Oct. 10, according to the complaint. He was found to be in possession or a firearm which matched the caliber of the casings found at the scene on South Heber Street.
Adkins was booked into the Southern Regional Jail on a $100,000 bond. According to an employee in the records department for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Adkins was released on bond on the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct 11.
Robertson was booked into the Southern Regional Jail at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 14. His bond is set at $100,000, according to the West Virginia Regional Jail website.
