Montgomery police seek tips in 2 fatal weekend shootings
Updated Mar 15, 2021;
Montgomery police are conducting two homicide investigations after two men were shot and killed Sunday in the city.
Marcus Brown, 39, of Montgomery, sustained a life-threatening gunshot wound around 4:20 p.m. in the 1100 block of Barley Drive. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, said Montgomery police spokeswoman Sgt. Saba Coleman.
Also on Sunday, 31-year-old Montgomery resident Abimael Zunun was shot around 11 p.m. in the 200 block of South Hopper Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The circumstances of both homicides remained under investigation, and no arrests have been made in either case as of Monday night.
A Montgomery police officer has been placed on administrative leave after he was charged with child abuse.
Capt. Saba Coleman said MPD received notification from the Montgomery Municipal Court Magistrates Office on Monday that 36-year-old Horton Owens had been charged with the crime.
Coleman said the department initiated disciplinary proceedings against Owens, who joined MPD in 2018 as a patrol officer.
The incident in which Owens is charged occurred February 24 about 1:30 p.m. in the 2600 block of Fernwood Drive, Coleman said. Owens was off duty at the time.
According to court records, Owens beat the child younger than 10 leaving bruises on the victim s legs, back, buttocks and ribs.
Six people are injured and two people are dead after five shootings over the weekend, police said.
Marcus Brown, 39, and Abimael Zunun, 31, mark the city s 16th and 17th homicide investigations of 2021.
Montgomery police Capt. Saba Coleman said officers responded to one call with an injury Friday evening, but the remaining four shooting where there was a person injured all occurred on Sunday.
Police first responded to the 600 block of Warwick Drive Friday about 7 p.m. in reference to a shooting. A man was found there with a non-life threatening gunshot wound, Coleman said. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Department officials were notified Monday that 35-year-old Horton Owens had been arrested the charge, which was issued by the Municipal Court Magistrates Office, said Capt. Saba Coleman.
Motorcyclist dies following weekend crash in Montgomery
Updated Mar 09, 2021;
Police on Tuesday identified the victim as Kenji Sledge. He was 44.
The crash happened at 5:15 p.m. Saturday in the area of Eastern Boulevard and Calmar Drive, said Montgomery police Capt. Saba Coleman. Authorities said Sledge was driving a 2019 Suzuki GSX-R100X northbound on Eastern Boulevard when a southbound 2020 Dodge Challenger attempted to make a left turn onto Calmar Drive and collided with the motorcycle.
Sledge was taken to a hospital for treatment but later died. The driver of the Challenger was not injured.
The investigation is ongoing. Sledge is Montgomery’s fifth traffic fatality this year.