Gatlyn Ray Jones, age 23, of Collinwood, and his sister, Sayble Jones, age 19, also of Collinwood, were arrested last week on charges related to an alleged shooting incident that narrowly missed causing serious injury or death to an elderly couple.
According to the arrest report filed by Investigator Matt Retherford of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, warrants for Gatlyn Jones’ arrest on charges of possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony, aggravated burglary, reckless endangerment, and aggravated assault were issued on Tuesday, January 12th, 2021. Jones allegedly forcibly entered a Waynesboro residence without the owner’s consent, breaking the door frame and recklessly brandishing a firearm. Once Jones made entry into the residence, he allegedly began yelling threats to a female that was hiding inside the residence. Jones was physically removed from the residence by another person who lives there.
The following day, January 13th, after allegedly sending a text message containing a death threat to the female he had threatened the day before, Gatlyn Jones allegedly went to the Downing Hollow Road residence of the female’s grandparents and fired three rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun into the home. One of the rounds allegedly hit the mattress where the couple lay sleeping. Jones had allegedly been in the home prior to the incident, and knew that the room he was firing into was the elderly couple’s bedroom.
Jones, who is a registered sex offender and previously convicted felon, was taken into custody on Collinwood Highway after being located in the trunk of a car driven by his sister, Sayble Jones. When Gatlyn Jones was found in the trunk of the car, he was allegedly in possession of two firearms, a 12-gauge shotgun and a .45 caliber handgun. The handgun had been reported as stolen by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
Gatlyn Jones was arrested on the warrants issued the previous day, along with additional charges of evading arrest, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony, possession of stolen property, and two counts of attempted first degree murder. He is being held in the Wayne County Jail with no bond.
Sayble Jones was arrested on one count of accessory after the fact of attempted first degree murder. The Sheriff’s Office said that Sayble Jones had reasonable grounds to believe that her brother had committed a crime and “helped him to avoid custody.” She was booked into the Wayne County Jail and released on $15,000.00 bond.
