‘It’s absolutely senseless’: Calera shooting leaves 3 bystanders injured

CALERA, Ala. (WBRC) - A Montgomery man is accused of shooting three people at a gas station in Calera over the weekend.

Quashis Devon Turner is charged with multiple offenses, including three counts of attempted murder.

What started out as stop at a Calera gas station quickly turned into a traumatic and scary situation.

The shooting happened a little before 10:30 p.m. at the Marathon on Highway 25, with multiple victims hiding or running for their lives.

Calera Police Chief David Hyche said, “the first and most important thing we have to do is render aid to these gravely injured individuals and also find that shooter before anyone else is hurt.”

And that’s exactly what they did with the help of Shelby County deputies and a Montevallo officer who spotted Turner and had him in custody within minutes.

“In this particular chase when you see these people who were injured and their families. It’s absolutely senseless,” Hyche said.

Amanda Smith was injured in the shooting, according to her husband Jared, and she is being released from the hospital Monday.

“The handle on the inside kind of slowed the bullet when it went right through that and hit her in the arm,” Smith said. “So, God is great, that’s my emotions about, that’s what I’m looking at.”

On the night of the shooting, Amanda and their son, Cody, went to the gas station for some snacks like they usually do.

“He heard the shots first and, called the law and hid behind the beer cooler back there and heard more shots then built himself a hiding spot back there while he was on the phone with the law,” Smith said.

Everyone in the Smith family is doing okay, no update on the other two victims but it was last reported that they were in serious but stable condition.

Hyche said they’re still trying to determine if the shooting was random.

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