2 dead, 1 arrested following shooting behind Northwoods Shopping Center
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July 17, 2009 - 8:54 AM

AMANDA HICKEY

Update: 6:40 p.m.

The owners of the property where two men were fatally shot early Friday morning expressed sorrow over the event.

Lance Cpl. Jarrell Damont Wilson, 22, of 10th Marine Regiment, has been charged with two open counts of murder in the deaths of Gabriel Judah Ape, 24, and Christopher Michael Watts, 23, both of Jacksonville.

A Jacksonville Police Department officer heard gunshots coming from behind the Northwoods Shopping Center at approximately 2:20 a.m. and found Ape and Watts with apparent gunshot wounds and in need of medical assistance, Chief Mike Yaniero said at a Friday morning press conference.

Both men died at the scene.

Aaron Flahardy, speaking on behalf of the property owners and the owner of Hooligans Pub and Music Hall, said they are saddened by the whole event and wanted to extended their sympathies to the families of the men killed.

Wilson was arrested after being detained at the Camp Lejeune gate in a vehicle that matched witness descriptions of the car the shooter left in, Yaniero said.

The vehicle had arrived at the Camp Lejeune gate shortly after the incident, Maj. Robert Cato with the Camp Lejeune Provost Marshal’s Office said.

“We were able to pull them over and detain them until JPD and NCIS arrived,” he said.

Wilson, who had been charged Monday by JPD with possession of a stolen firearm, and another Marine were in the car, Yaniero said. However, JPD does not anticipate charging anyone else in the shooting deaths, according to Yaniero.

He said the investigation has provided a possible motive but one he was not ready to discuss.

Wilson is being held at the Onslow County Jail without bond. His first court appearance will be Monday morning.

Flahardy said family members told him the three involved were friends and the incident sprung out of argument over $60 owed to Wilson.

However, Flahardy added that Ape and Watts were not in Hooligans Thursday night based on information from their families. He was not sure Friday afternoon if Wilson had been in the club the night before.



Suzanne Ulbrich contributed to this story. Contact Amanda Hickey at 910-219-8461 or ahickey@freedomenc.com. Read the Lejeune Deployed blog at http://lejeunedeployed.freedomblogging.com.

Update: 1:09 p.m.

The Marine charged with murder in the shooting deaths of two Jacksonville men had been arrested earlier this week and charged with having a stolen firearm.

Jarrell Damont Wilson, 22, of Headquarters Battery, 10th Marine Regiment, on Camp Lejeune, was charged Monday by the Jacksonville Police Department with possession of a stolen firearm.

Wilson is accused of possessing a stolen .22 caliber Ruger, according to warrants.

Bond was set at $5,000.



Update: 11:52 a.m. Edited at 3:03 p.m. to correct Wilson's rank and add his hometown

A Camp Lejeune Marine has been arrested in the fatal shooting of two men early Friday morning.

Lance Cpl. Jarrell Damont Wilson, 22 of Wayne, Mich., has been charged with two open counts of murder in the deaths of Gabriel Ape, 24, and Christopher Watts, 23, both of Jacksonville.

A Jacksonville Police Department officer who heard gunshots coming from behind the Northwoods Shopping Center at approximately 2:20 a.m. found Ape and Watts with apparent gunshot wounds and in need of medical assistance, Chief Mike Yaniero said at a Friday morning press conference.

Both men died at the scene.

Witnesses gave JPD officials a description of the vehicle Wilson fled in, which was broadcast to area law enforcement, Yaniero said.

A vehicle matching the description arrived at the Camp Lejeune gate shortly after the incident, Maj. Robert Cato with the Camp Lejeune Provost Marshal’s Office said.

“We were able to pull them over and detain them until JPD and NCIS arrived,” he said.

Wilson and another Marine were in the car, Yaniero said. However, JPD does not anticipate any additional charges.

Yaniero said that the investigation has provided a possible motive; however, they are “not prepared to discuss that motive at this time.”

While the shooting did not take place at Hooligan’s Pub and Music Hall, Yaniero said they are in contact with the pub’s owners.

“We continue to work with them to make it a safe environment,” Yaniero said, explaining that there have been multiple incidents at Hooligan’s. “They are responsible for making sure their parking lot is safe.”



Contact Amanda Hickey at 910-219-8461 or ahickey@freedomenc.com.





Update: 11:20 a.m.

A Camp Lejeune Marine has been arrested in the fatal shooting of two men early Friday morning.

Jarrell Damont Wilson, 22, has been charged with two open counts of murder in the deaths of Gabriel Ape, 24, and Christopher Watts, 23, both of Jacksonville.

The shooting happened at 2:20 a.m. behind the Northwoods Shopping Center, according to Jacksonville Police Department officials.

A car matching the vehicle witnesses said the suspect left in was later detained at the Camp Lejeune Main Gate until JPD and Naval Criminal Investigative Service officials could arrive, according to the JPD. Wilson and another Marine were in the car, authorities said. JPD says they are not expecting additional charges in the shooting.



Updated at 10:40 a.m.

The Jacksonville Police Department has confirmed that there was a shooting in the parking lot of the Northwoods Shopping, located on Onslow Drive, Thursday night.

Two Marines from II Marine Expeditionary Force are being questioned by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service here regarding the shooting death of two civilians in Jacksonville early this morning, according to Marine officials.

"The incident is under investigation by the Marine Corps and we are cooperating fully with local civilian authorities in this matter," according to a statement by Maj. Cliff Gilmore, spokesman for II MEF.

Further details are not available at this time.

Check back with jdnews.com for more information.



Editor's note: The spelling of Wilson's name has been corrected in the earlier stories.

Ellie