Man charged in W.Va. shooting

September 03, 1998|By DAVE McMILLION, Charles Town

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A crime spree that started with a hostage situation at Roberts Gardens Apartments Thursday afternoon ended with a shooting in Martinsburg, police said.

Police said a man was going to visit friends at Roberts Gardens Apartments, along U.S. 11 north of Martinsburg, when two men approached him, said Berkeley County Sheriff's Deputy K.C. Bohrer. One of the men pulled a gun on the victim, Bohrer said.

The victim was robbed, then forced to take the two men in his car to look for money, Bohrer said.

Bohrer said the victim was told that he needed to find some money or he would be killed.

The victim drove the men through Martinsburg and Kearneysville in Jefferson County, W.Va., before ending up on John Street in Martinsburg, Bohrer said.

The two men and the victim stepped out of the victim's car on John Street when the victim noticed a sheriff's deputy walking toward Berkeley County Magistrate Court, Bohrer said.

Thinking that was his "best opportunity to escape," the victim pushed the two suspects and ran toward the deputy, Bohrer said.

The two men ran from the area, he said.

A short time later, Marcus Taylor, 20, of Martinsburg, told police he picked up a man in his car on State Circle in Martinsburg, said Martinsburg Police Lt. Rick Swartwood. Taylor said he became suspicious that the man was going to try to steal his car, Swartwood said.

Taylor tried to get out of the car and was shot in the arm and lower back, Swartwood said.

Taylor ran down the street for help and his assailant left the scene, Swartwood said.

Acting on a tip, police found the man in a house in the north end of Martinsburg, Swartwood said.

Clifton Maurice Bradley, 25, of 105 Johnson St., was charged with malicious wounding and aggravated robbery, police said. The sheriff's department also charged Bradley with armed robbery and abduction, said Bohrer.

Bradley was arraigned by Berkeley County Magistrate Sandra Miller, who set Bradley's bond at $91,500, Bohrer said. Bradley was being held in the Eastern Regional Jail on Wednesday night.

Taylor was being treated in the emergency room at City Hospital late Wednesday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

The spokeswoman could not say what Taylor's condition was, but that his injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

A .32-caliber revolver recovered from a residence in Martinsburg was believed to be the weapon used in the shooting and robbery, police said.

Police were looking for the second suspect who was involved in the incident that started at Roberts Gardens Apartments.

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