A 25-year-old Bluefield man has been arrested after allegedly firing multiple shots at a vehicle carrying five minors near Mercer Mall on Thursday, October 16, according to Mercer County authorities.
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched around 3:38 p.m. to 360 Napa Lane after reports of a shooting near the intersection of Mercer Mall Road and Bulltail Hollow Road.
Upon arrival, officers found a vehicle that had been struck six times on the driver’s side, including a flat front tire. Inside the vehicle were four teenagers and one infant.
Witnesses identified the suspected shooter as Christopher Tyler East, who was reportedly driving a black Chevrolet Camaro.
According to statements from the driver and a passenger, East followed their vehicle near Mercer Mall before stopping at the intersection and exiting his car. After a brief verbal exchange, East allegedly fired multiple rounds from a handgun, striking the vehicle six times.
Two rounds entered the passenger compartment — one below the area where the infant was seated and another that struck the steering wheel near one of the victims.
One witness said East was armed with a tan FN509 handgun with an extended magazine and flashlight, while another described the weapon as camouflaged. Deputies recovered four 9mm shell casings at the scene, along with a bullet in the front tire and a bullet fragment in the vehicle’s door seal.
Authorities later apprehended East without incident at a residence near Bluefield. Deputies recovered a tan FN509 handgun from his vehicle.
East has been charged with wanton endangerment involving a firearm and is currently being held at Southern Regional Jail.