Auburn shooting suspect Desmonte Leonard in custody

By Andrew Yawn

Auburn shooting suspect Desmonte Leonard in custody

Desmonte Leonard turned himself in to the Montgomery Federal Courthouse at 7:57 p.m. Tuesday evening.

At a press conference held at the Auburn Police station, Chief Tommy Dawson addressed the closure of the case with a final thought to the victims’ families.

“You’ll always be in our prayers and thoughts,” Dawson said. “It’s nice to have him in custody, it’s nice to have him in jail, but the most important thing to remember is the families of the victims.”

Leonard is now in custody and is being transported to Lee County sometime Wednesday or Thursday, according to Dawson.

In addition to the three counts of capital murder, Leonard is now also being charged with two counts of assault in the 1st degree, according to Dawson.

Leonard’s attorney Susan James said that her office brought in Leonard and that she and her son picked him up and drove him to meet investigators, according to the Associated Press.

James did not specify where Leonard was, but revealed he was about 50 miles away.

“He was very calm, very tired and very ready to get this over with and very respectful,” she said to the AP. “When the full story is told, it may sound different than the perception now.”

James also told the AP that she was not “retained to represent” Leonard.

Leonard, the prime suspect in the shooting at University Heights, is wanted on three counts of capital murder and has been pursued since Sunday in what Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson called an “active manhunt.”

The manhunt may be over, but Dawson said that full closure is somewhat impossible.

“In a case like this, there’s no relief because those boys aren’t coming home tonight,” Dawson said.

Dawson added that even Leonard probably has somebody grieving for him.

“Everybody’s got a mama,” Dawson said.

Montgomery Police Chief Kevin Murphy commended Auburn’s police force, and Dawson in particular, for their unrelenting pursuit of Leonard.

“I’m impressed with the leadership and fortitude of Chief Dawson,” Murphy said. “The Auburn Police Department is one of the finest in the country.”

Auburn University President Jay Gogue also showed admiration for the Auburn Police in a statement issued Tuesday night.

“We appreciate the dedication and commitment of the Auburn City Police Department and other law enforcement agencies,” Gogue said.

However, like Dawson, Gogue also wished to remind the public that the capture of Leonard does not change what happened Saturday night.

“This is a difficult time for our campus and community,” Gogue said. “We’re remembering those who lost their lives, and it’s important that we pull together to help those who are grieving and recovering.”

Read more here: http://theplainsman.com/bookmark/18961786
Copyright 2024 The Auburn Plainsman