2 charged in drive-by shooting

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Two Andalusia residents have been charged in Monday afternoon’s drive-by shooting.

Denarieya L. Smith, 21, and a yet-unamed 16-year-old male, each has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, a Class A felony, and two counts of shooting into an occupied vehicle, a Class B felony.

A woman reported the incident, which occurred on South Cotton Street, to the Andalusia Police Department Monday afternoon, and described the suspects. A search began, and the suspects were located and brought in for questioning. Both the victim’s and the suspects’ vehicles were moving at the time the shooting occurred. The suspects were behind the victim. No one was injured.

The 16-year-old’s identity has not been released because he is a juvenile. However, the Andalusia Police Department is seeking to have him tried as an adult.

Interim Police Chief Paul Hudson said Tuesday morning that investigators have not determined a motive at this time. The incident was not gang-related, he said.

“I hate to use the term, but this is a result of ‘street justice,’ ” Hudson said. “We will not put up with that in and around Andalusia.”

The investigation is ongoing, Hudson said.