Two Arrested for Hindering Auburn Manhunt
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Jeremy Thomas, left, and Gabriel Thomas. (Montgomery Police Dept.)(MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ala.) — Two Alabama men have been arrested for hindering the manhunt for a suspect police believe shot six people, killing three of them at an off-campus party near Auburn University.
Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said he signed three warrants charging Desmonte Leonard, 22, with capital murder. He warned that Leonard should be considered “armed and extremely dangerous.” Police are urging Leonard to turn himself in.
Leonard was last seen on foot, and police believe he is still in Montgomery County. Dozens of police officers are scouring Montgomery County for the suspected killer.
Gabriel Thomas, 41, and Jeremy Thomas, 18, were both arrested and charged with hindering prosecution. Officials are not commenting on whether the two are related.
“[Gabriel] Thomas was charged after investigators developed information indicating he had contact with Leonard and provided misleading information in the search for Leonard,” the Montgomery Police Department said in a statement. He was arrested Sunday and the arrest was made public today. He is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Facility on a $15,000 bond.
Jeremy Thomas fled with Leonard the night of the shooting. He was arrested this afternoon and is being questioned by detectives.
Rewards totaling $15,000 are being offered for information leading to Leonard’s apprehension. The FBI is offering $10,000 of the reward and the U.S. Marshals Service is offering $5,000.
Two former Auburn football players, Ladarious Phillips and Ed Christian, and another man identified as Demario Pitts died in the shooting.
Auburn football players Eric Mack, Xavier Moss and John Robertson were wounded, Dawson said. Robertson was undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound to the head and “fighting for his life,” Dawson said.
All six victims were younger than 21.
The police chief said the only connection between the university football team and the Saturday shooting was that the players happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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