SCOOP: Spindale shooting suspect arrested in Tennessee
William Drake Church, 20, of Morganton, was apprehended in Gatlinburg, TN after negotiations with police
In a major development, William Drake Church, the suspect in a June 20th shooting near the Thermal Belt Rail Trail, has been apprehended, police said today. This arrest comes after a rigorous, multi-agency investigation and manhunt culminating in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of June 20, when the Spindale police department responded to gunfire reports, “at the intersection of Main Street and Steward Street near the Rail to Trail crossing,” police said. This is also known as the Thermal Belt Rail Trail or Rails-to-Trails.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a male victim with two gunshot wounds. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was swiftly transported to a local hospital by Rutherford County Emergency Services and is currently in stable condition.
In the aftermath, the Spindale PD, supported by the Tri-City Violent Crime Task Force (TCVCTF), launched a comprehensive investigation, police said on June 21. Through numerous interviews and evidence collection, detectives identified the suspect as William Drake Church, a 20-year-old from Morganton, NC. Police described him as having brown hair and numerous tattoos on his hands, arms, face, and neck, including a distinctive cross tattoo between his eyes. He was deemed “armed and dangerous” by officials.
On June 21 arrest warrants for attempted murder and discharge of a firearm within city limits were issued for Church, who was also believed to possess the firearm used in the shooting.
Detectives managed to establish telephone contact with Church, who had fled to Gatlinburg, TN. After several conversations, they persuaded Church to secure the firearm and await law enforcement's arrival. The Gatlinburg police department was notified, apprehended Church without incident and recovered the weapon.
Church is currently in custody in Tennessee, awaiting extradition to North Carolina to face charges related to the shooting. The Spindale PD has expressed gratitude to the Gatlinburg PD for their swift and effective assistance in the capture.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Spindale PD urges anyone with additional information about the incident to contact their Criminal Investigation Division through the Rutherford County Communications Center at (828) 286-2911.
This is the second known shooting in the Thermal Belt Rail Trail vicinity since March. See my past reporting for more details.
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So, no word from law enforcement as to whether this was a random act of violence, or attempted robbery, or conflict between two already acquainted individuals?