Columbus Patrol Officer Implicated in Heist

A Columbus patrol officer was placed on administrative leave after the FBI accused her of aiding a bank robbery.

Shatoya Wright was arrested Monday afternoon and charged with making false statements to the FBI.

Agents said a man charged with robbing a Wachovia Bank in Oct. 2007 told them Wright helped him steal $8,000 during the heist. Accused bank robber Odis Christopher Hallstock said Wright also helped him pass counterfeit $100 bills through the bank.

Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren said Wright was hired 3 months after the robbery and passed all background checks.

Wright made her initial court appearance Tuesday and was released on $5,000 bond.

Information from: WTVM-TV, http://www.wtvm.com/

(AP)

Police pleased as Columbus gets LOST

In western Georgia, an important vote easily passed last night that would significantly beef up police and public services.

Columbus voters at 48 polling stations across the city gave the thumbs up for The Local Option Sales Tax – LOST by a 61 percent majority.

City officials estimate that the one-percent tax will generate some $36 million dollars annually.

Police will receive about 70-percent of the funds. They say they plan to use it to add 100 beat officers, raise pay and add precincts.

The remaining 30 percent is slated for roads and related public works projects.

An insurance industry survey in April said car thefts dropped statewide in 2007 -- except in Columbus -- which topped the state in per-capita auto theft.

Read more about that survey here. Columbus Police Department crime statistics are here.

A similar tax proposal was voted down four years ago.

Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley told the Ledger-Enquirer newspaper that Tuesday's victory was largely due to the backing of Mayor Jim Wetherington, who served as chief of police for over a decade.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of events in Columbus and western Georgia.

Officials up reward for alleged killer to $20,000

Michael Jason Registe. (FBI)

A renewed effort is under way to capture a man wanted in a nearly 1-year-old double homicide case in Columbus.

The FBI and Columbus Police announced Wednesday that the reward for information leading to the capture of Michael Jason Registe was increased from $5,000 to $20,000.

Police said Registe is wanted in the shooting deaths of 21-year-old Randy Newton Jr., and 20-year-old Bryan Kilgore. Both men were gunned down on July 20th, 2007 in the parking lot of Cross Creek Apartments.

FBI Senior Agent Donnie Green said he believes someone know Registe's whereabouts, but won't come forward.

The FBI website page on Registe warns that he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Information from: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

(With The Associated Press)

Names of Columbus shooting victims released

Columbus Police Command and Control van outside of the emergency room of Doctors Hospital in Columbus, GA., where one of the shootings took place, on Thursday, March 27, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Authorities have identified two of the three victims of Thursday's revenge shooting at Doctors Hospital in Columbus.

Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren identified the two as 44-year-old Peter D. Wright and 76-year-old James David Baker. A third person who was shot and killed in the attack has not yet been identified.

Wright was shot inside the hospital and Baker was shot and killed a short time later outside, in the hospital's parking lot.

Charles Johnston, who police say shot and killed the three, has been confirmed as having taught for the Muscogee County School District:

"Charles Johnston was a full-time employee for MCSD from September 1973 to December 1973 at Rothschild Junior High (Teacher's Aide) before resigning. In March 1997 he enrolled in the substitute training class and is last listed as receiving pay from the MCSD in May 2007 as a substitute teacher,"

Valerie Fuller, MCSD director of communications said in a statement released Friday.

Click here for more GPB coverage of the shooting attack.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Columbus: Third shooting victim dies

Law-enforcement officials confer near a Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime scene van in the parking lot of Doctors Hospital, Columbus, GA., on March 27, 2008. (Dave Bender)

A person who was shot in the head and critically wounded in Thursday afternoon's shooting spree at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, died of their wounds this evening.

The individual was shot in the hospital's parking lot by a man who police said bore a grudge against staffers who had treated his mother several years earlier. The man shot and killed the other two victims in the hospital a short time earlier.

The three have not been identified as this update was posted, pending notification of their families.

Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren said 63-year-old Charles Johnston, a retired Muscogee County schoolteacher killed a male nurse who had taken care of his mother, who had died at the hospital from natural causes:

“The individual had carried a grudge against at least one of the nurses involved in her care from 2004 until today. He came here to the hospital carrying three weapons. He was carrying a nine millimeter automatic, a .380 automatic and a .32 revolver.”

Larry Sanders, CEO of Columbus Regional Hospital released a statement over the slaying:

"On behalf of the board of directors, medical staff and all the employees of Doctors Hospital and the entire Columbus Regional family, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the vicitms in this shooting. We are deeply saddened at the tragic loss of these three lives. We are reminded of how a tragedy can strike without warning and that life is precious. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of their families. We ask that everyone in the community keep them in their thougts and prayers as well."

Information about family members who were at the hospital at the time of the shootings is available at 706-494-4057.

Click here for more GPB News coverage about the shootings at Doctors Hospital.

Columbus: 2 dead, 2 wounded in hospital shooting (updated)

Columbus Police Command and Control van outside of the emergency room of Doctors Hospital in Columbus, GA., where one of the shootings took place, on March 27, 2008. (Dave Bender)

A Muscogee County man went on a shooting spree at Doctors Hospital Thursday afternoon, killing two people and wounding a third.



Columbus Chief of Police Ricky Boren talking with reporters at the scene of the shooting, Doctors Hospital, Columbus, GA., on March 27, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren says 63-year-old Charles Johnston, reportedly a retired Muscogee County schoolteacher killed a male nurse who had taken care of his mother, who had died at the hospital from natural causes:

“The individual had carried a grudge against at least one of the nurses involved in her care from 2004 until today. He came here to the hospital carrying three weapons. He was carrying a nine millimeter automatic, a .380 automatic and a .32 revolver.”

Boren, who told reporters that police received a call for assistance at 2:17 pm, says Johnston then shot and killed a second person, and fled to the parking lot. There, he then shot and critically wounded a third individual traveling in a vehicle, as they pulled into the lot.


Law-enforcement officials confer near a Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime scene van in the parking lot of Doctors Hospital, Columbus, GA., on March 27, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Police say the suspect then opened fire on a Muscogee County deputy marshal and a Columbus police office who had been called to the scene. Both returned fire, and were unhurt.

A police detective who arrived on the scene fired at Johnston, wounding him. Johnston was operated on and is in police custody.

Information about family members who were at the hospital at the time of the shootings is available at 706-494-4057.

Police: abducted children met violent end

The three children that were taken by their father from their mother's home in Columbus two weeks ago, died from gunshot wounds soon after the abduction, Columbus police said Thursday.

The bodies of the children, and that of their father Eddie Harrington were found in an industrial park near Fort Benning, east of the city.

Harrington had left a note at the house for the children's mother, Agena Battle, threatening to kill the three. He sent a similar note to his father.

They had been missing since March 5, and had been originally thought to have fled the state towards Harrington's father's home in Indiana.

Click here for previous GPB News coverage of this story.

Bodies of missing children, father found

Aliyah, Agena and Cedrick (Columbus Police)

The local FBI office says a citizen notified authorities at midday when they came upon the bodies, and the vehicle they had been traveling in.

Law enforcement officials have notified the children's mother, Agena Battle.

The four were found in an industrial park in a rural, wooded area on the eastern part of the city.

The FBI would not confirm how the four died. Muscogee County coroner Bill Thrower declined to say if it was a murder-suicide, according to the Associated Press.

Battle reported 23-month-old twins Aliyah and Agena, their brother, three-year-old Cedrick, and their father, Eddie Harrington, 28, as missing on Wednesday morning, March 5th.

Eddie Harrington (Columbus Police)

FBI Special Agent Steve Emmett in Atlanta describes Harrington's last communication with Battle:

“He left behind a letter, to be found by his girlfriend, where he threatened to kill those children. A second letter was mailed to his father in Indianapolis.”

A Levi's-Amber Alert was announced after the four were reported missing, and searches began throughout Georgia, and the southeast.

The bodies were sent to the GBI crime lab for autopsy.

Click here for previous GPB News coverage of this story.

Columbus police: No leads in missing kids case

Columbus Police say they have no leads in the disappearance of three Columbus children and their father, Eddie Harrington, as of early Wednesday morning.


Eddie Harrington. (Columbus Police Department)

CPD Lt. Mark Starling, who is leading the investigation, says the statewide Amber Alert is still in effect.

Starling said Harrington left his cellphone at his home, limiting their ability to track his whereabouts. He says that Harrington's credit card use is being tracked, in an effort to zero in on his whereabouts.

Investigators are interviewing Harrington's brother and family, and are working with the as children's mother, Agena Battle.


Agana and Aliyah Battle, Cedric Harrington. (Columbus Police Department)

Starling said several tips have been called in by people who said they'd either seen Harrington or the vehicle they are traveling in, but said that the leads proved erroneous.

Starling said that Harrington is driving a dark green, 2002 Chevrolet Impala, with Indiana license plate No.: 93-L-4740. The vehicle has a crack in the front windshield.


The car the four are traveling resembles the vehicle above.

The GBI, and law-enforcement agencies in several southern states are taking part in the search, as well as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Billboards in Columbus are showing photos of Harrington and the three children.

Columbus Police are urging anyone who has seen the vehicle or its occupants to call them at 706 653 3231 / 3000 (switchboard).

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the case.

Columbus: Amber alert for three missing children

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation put out the Levi's Call alert Wednesday morning for the trio - a male toddler and one-year-old twin girls.

Eddie Harrington. (Columbus Police Department)

The children's father, 29-year-old Eddie Harrington reportedly took them from their mother's home in Columbus in the early hours of the morning, according to Columbus Police Department officer, Lt. Mark Starling:

“They left this morning around 01:30; it's going to be involving a family domestic issue, and because of information left at the home, [there's] some concern on our part for the safety of the kids.”

Agana and Aliyah Battle, Cedric Harrington. (Columbus Police Department)

Starling says there were no signs of violence at the home, and the children's mother was not present when they were taken. Starling described the vehicle:

“He's driving a 2002 Chevrolet Impala, dark green in color, bearing an Indiana tag: 93-L-4740; it has a cracked front windshield.”

The car the four are traveling resembles the vehicle above.

Columbus Police are urging anyone who has seen the vehicle or its occupants to call them at 706 653 3231 / 3000 (switchboard).

More details of the case are available at the GBI website.

Kindergarten cop: child brings loaded pistol to school

A para-professional at Wadell Elementary School found a loaded 38-caliber pistol in a kindergarten student's book bag Monday afternoon.

A Muscogee County School District spokesperson told reporters the school official discovered the weapon while packing homework in the child's bag near the end of the school day.

Columbus police later arrested the child's grandfather, 58-year old Roger Anderson, charging him with misdemeanor reckless conduct. A police official described the incident as an accident. Anderson is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.