Fayetteville Police: Two Arrested in Retalitory Shooting

Fayetteville police arrested the two men they believe are responsible for a drive-by shooting Wednesday. One of the men is set for trial Monday in a different drive-by shooting last year.

Police on Thursday arrested Allen K. Stevens and Tyrone Anthony Welch. Both are accused of intimidating witnesses who are slated to testify against Welch. He stands trial Monday on charges of shooting and injuring a man in his front year in July 2011.

Preliminary arrest reports state that Stevens and Welch, who is known as T-top, assaulted two men Wednesday night at a convenience store at Curtis and 15th streets. Stevens and Welch told the two men to warn their family against testifying against Welch at trial.

Welch and Allen then drove to a Curtis Street home where another witnesses was inside and parked in the driveway. According to the arrest reports, Welch previously used a tire iron to intimidate that witness on Saturday.

Welch and Allen remained parked in the driveway, then fired a gun out the window as they drove away. Witnesses that night reported hearing several shots, and one homeowner said a bullet came into his home and lodged in a bedroom wall.

The July 2011 drive-by was on Clover Street, and resident Kasey Jones was shot in the finger, police said. Jones was arrested Friday on charges he shot and injured a man the night of May 24 during a large disturbance at Curtis and Fairlane Avenue. That victim, Lee Charles Brown Jr., 36, was treated and released from Washington Regional Medical Center. 

Jones is charged with attempted murder and first-degree battery.

Police say they`re not sure if the recent violence is gang related, but believe there is rivalry between some people in the area.

“We`ve heard some information that some parties may not necessarily like each other but, not enough there to truly identify it,” says Stout. Police are also questioning Stevens in connection with Wednesday’s drive-by.

Some residents who didn’t want to be identified told 5NEWS the recent shootings are not related.

Neighbors said children were in the area when shots were fired Wednesday.

“I came outside and I [saw] that my friend’s mom was out here yelling and stuff, and they’d been shooting at her,” resident Latoya Mahone said Wednesday night.