Damien Bell
By Joe Johnson
Police are investigating a third case of someone being shot on the same street in east Athens in less than a week, this time a home invasion in which a resident was shot.
None of the shootings appear to be related, said Capt. Christopher Nichols, commanding officer of the Athens-Clarke County police Criminal Investigations Division.
According to police, one of the shootings happened at about 12:13 a.m. Sunday when an intruder entered a home at Hillside Condominiums, 125 Berlin Street and shot the occupant, 29-year-old Manuel Mazariego Flores.
Officers responded and provided first aid to the victim, who was transported to a local hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The victim was able to provide information on a person of interest, according to police.
The second incident happened later that same afternoon when at about Sunday afternoon when a 28-year-old Rustwood Drive resident Damien Bell was shot at Oakridge Condominiums at 115 Berlin St., police said.
The man told police he was standing at the entrance of the complex when he heard gunshot being fired behind him, according to a police incident report. Bell told investigators that he turned and saw a large black male wearing a white T-shirt shooting at him, the report indicated. With a gunshot wound to the thigh, the man ran out of the complex and looped around to another entrance before seeking help at someone’s apartment.
National EMS and fire personnel responded to render aid to the victim prior to him being transported to the hospital.
Bell told police he did not know the person who shot him.
Multiple 9mm shell casings were located in the area that the victim said the man shot at him, the report noted.
The first Berlin Street shooting happened last Tuesday afternoon, also at the Oakridge condos, where 28-year-old Lombardy Circle resident Whitley Smith reportedly was shot and seriously injured when struck by a stray bullet, allegedly fired by Tishauwn Taquan Mahaffey, 30, of Athens, who was being sought on an aggravated assault warrant.
According to police, investigators have identified Mahaffey as the only shooter in the incident.
Mahaffey was previously identified by police as being a member of the NBA (Never Broke Again) street gang.
Anyone with information concerning any of the shootings or knows the whereabouts of Mahaffey should contact Detective Paul Johnson at 762-400-7060 or paul.johnson@accgov.com
Anonymous calls can be made to the Crime Stoppers confidential tip line at 706-705-4775.
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