Juvenile suspect turns himself in after shooting at Gadsden Waffle House

GADSDEN, Ala. (WBRC) - A juvenile has turned himself in after a shooting at a Gadsden Waffle House Friday night that sent four other juveniles to the hospital.

Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford said in a social media post Sunday that the suspect turned himself in around 3:30 p.m.

“The suspect has turned himself in with his attorney. He is a juvenile, so there is only so much we can say. But I wanted to let everybody know the individual had turned himself in based on the pressure from our Gadsden Police Department, and I want to thank them for everything they have done. They’ve an outstanding job. This case was handled and moved swiftly, and now we’re turn it over to the proper authorities and let justice prevail,” Ford said.

Gadsden Police said four juveniles were wounded in the shooting at the restaurant on Rainbow Drive. Police were called to the scene around 10: 45 p.m.

Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford reacted to the shooting early Saturday morning in a video on Facebook, and said the victims were stable.

“I have called in all available resources with our Gadsden Police Department,” Ford said. “I have been on the phone with our task force, our police chief and other police departments in other neighboring communities. There’s only so much I can say because we do not want to let too much information get out about what we’re doing, but I can assure you we know who it is and we will bring them into custody and they will face justice.”

Ford praised the actions of first responders.

“It was a chaotic situation, but a stable situation in which they secured the scene and were able to transport the injured victims to where they needed to be,” Ford said.

“We understand the concern and anger this incident has caused, especially because it involved young people and occurred at a place where families and students gather after Friday night football. Our community should be able to enjoy those moments without fear. Our officers will continue to respond decisively to violence, protect the public, and pursue every lead in this case,” said Gadsden Police in a statement.

The statement continued, “We will be thorough and persistent in this investigation. We are in contact with our state and federal partners. We will not stop working until we have pursued the facts and taken every lawful step available to seek justice. We also ask for your patience and understanding while we navigate the multiple angles within our justice system to ensure the best outcome for the victims in this case.”

Saturday evening, Gadsden City Schools Superintendent William Blackwell released the following statement:

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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