CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Investigators say they quickly identified the suspect in Saturday’s shots-fired incident near Laidley Field in the Capital City.
The stadium was filled with 27 high school teams for the Tudors Biscuit World Charleston Relays Track Meet.
Charleston Police Chief Scott Dempsey said city resident Jakai Harrison, 20, was arrested for firing shots from his vehicle going east on Piedmont Road.
“He picked the wrong time and the wrong place to fire a gun, which is never a good place to do that unless you’re at an approved range,” Dempsey said on MetroNews “Midday.” “Obviously, it was not connected to the event at all.”
Reports of the shots came to police at 12:52 p.m. Dempsey said crews arrived on the scene within three minutes.
Dempsey noted that a retired St. Albans police officer was already at the meet to support a family member. He said the retired officer relayed that the shots had come from a car outside the stadium that had left, and there wasn’t an active shooter situation.
According to a criminal complaint, police used nearby surveillance footage and saw a black man firing his handgun while hanging out of a red Chevrolet Impala. Dempsey said the shots were fired away from the facility, rather than toward it.
Police tracked the vehicle down a couple blocks from the stadium on McClung Street — which is where Harrison lives, Dempsey said.
The complaint said the Impala matched surveillance footage which showed distinct yellow air fresheners hanging from the front mirror. A woman was alone inside the vehicle when police arrived, and she identified herself as Rhya Knox.
Officers said Knox was “not forthcoming” and she denied any involvement in the shooting. She told police that her boyfriend, Jakai Harrison, was with her.
Dempsey said Harrison complied with officers when he returned to the car. Harrison agreed to go with officers for audio and video interviews at the Charleston Police Department. During the interviews, Harrison claimed he and Knox were going to receive $20 from a friend on Renaissance Circle — nearby the stadium — when he thought an unknown person in a grey sedan followed him and showed a gun.
The complaint said Harrison admitted to hanging out the window and firing multiple shots toward the sedan — he then fled the area and tossed the firearm in the river while driving down Kanawha Boulevard.
Dempsey said detectives received enough probable cause from the interviews to arrest Harrison Saturday afternoon around 3 p.m.
Harrison now faces four counts of wanton endangerment. He’s being held on $100,000 bail at the South Central Regional Jail.
Kanawha County Board of Education member Mike Arbogast said there were some tense moments after shots were heard.
“Terrible thing, scary thing,” Arbogast said on “580 Live” with Dave Allen. “I know that people panicked, you hear about it going on all the time everywhere, and when it hits a little bit closer to home, it’s got a little different feel to it.”
The track meet was suspended, and ultimately cancelled, once officers confirmed shots had been fired.
Parents and families, both at the venue and on social media, expressed worry about the incident as it was unfolding. Dempsey said he understood why there was such great concern.
“As a dad, as a parent, as a concerned citizen, I would obviously be afraid [for] everyone’s safety,” Dempsey said. “I would be telling everybody, ‘find cover, get somewhere until the threat is over.'”
Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said she received messages to thank the city and Kanawha County Schools for releasing accurate information as it became available. Goodwin said there were many erroneous posts from people claiming they knew what happened, which underscored the need for confirmed information.
“I know that we live in a ‘give it to me right now, I want the information’ [era],” Goodwin said on “580 Live.” “It is very dangerous when you do that. Thank you to the parents, to the administrators, and the folks who were providing information when you could get it.”
Charleston Police Deputy Chief Tony Hazelett said he was in constant contact with personnel inside the stadium.
“I was communicating with several coaches inside the venue, I told them to ‘stay put, make sure your athletes are together, and do not leave until I give the official word,'” Hazelett said. “It was probably within five to ten minutes, I called them back and said, ‘you’re able to leave right now.'”
Goodwin praised parents and law enforcement who assisted with the evacuation of the facility.
“Give credit where credit is due, is the immediate response of our first responders, certainly, our police who showed up,” Goodwin said. “If you know Deputy Chief Tony Hazelett, there’s a reason why he’s at the top of this administration, as his solve rate is outstanding.”
Arbogast said he hopes Harrison is held accountable for the shooting.
“[Shootings] put fear into people,” Arbogast said. “It can happen anywhere, but it did happen here. I also want to commend Charleston Police Department, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, they were there quickly, and they apprehended the suspect quickly.”
Police confirmed this was an isolated incident and had no connection to the track meet.
Many more events are set for Laidley Field in the coming weeks, and Arbogast said he hopes people will be able to move on quickly.
“We’ve got regional track meets getting ready to happen, the state track meet is there, and we’ll be prepping for the state football championships before you know it,” Arbogast said.
Dempsey said police are encouraging people to continue with their lives.
“Go to these events, encourage your children, your athletes, to have fun, and to compete,” Dempsey said. “We’ll definitely be out aggressively patrolling during those areas as well. It was a weird coincidence that it just happened here, but regardless. We’re praying that it never happens again.”