Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
A prosecutor said an Omaha gang member, just released from the hospital Friday, entered a home earlier this month and shot one of the residents before he was shot during a struggle.
New details emerged from the initial court appearance for Akeem R. Jones, 20, who has been charged with attempted robbery, attempted first-degree assault and use of a firearm to commit a felony along with two unrelated misdemeanor charges. He entered a not guilty plea to the misdemeanor charges.
Jones’ bail was set at $110,000 by Douglas County Judge Edna Atkins Monday afternoon. Jones must post 10 percent of that amount, or $11,000 to be released pending trial.
Jones walked with a noticeable limp at his Monday appearance. He had been held at a local hospital, initially in critical condition, after he was shot in the lower back Sept. 10.
Prosecutor Jeff Lux said Jones and another man walked to a house near 38th Avenue and Grant Street and that Jones said “get on the ground and give it up.” Jones entered the home with a man one of the residents is believed to know, Lux said.
Jones then shot one of the men in the house, 19-year-old Devonte Abram, in the forearm Lux said.
After Abram was shot, Jones and Abram’s brother, who also lives in the house, got into a physical struggle.
Abram then got a gun and shot Jones, Lux. Police reports indicate Jones was shot in the lower back.
A 2-year-old girl, believed to be a daughter of one of the men living in the home, was also present in the home at the time of the shooting, which occurred about 11 a.m., Lux said.
Jones was released from the hospital Friday and placed into police custody.
Jones, a 37th Street Crip member, was shot two other times this year, on May 26 and July 11, and injured in a drive-by shooting in July 2008.
He was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder and two counts of using a weapon to commit a felony in a March 2009 shooting at BJ’s convenience store, 4122 Ames Ave.
In that shooting, Gary W. Holmes, 22, was killed after getting shot nine times, and his cousin Rodney Smith was wounded but survived.
Jones was ordered to stand trial, but the charges were dismissed after three key prosecution witnesses failed to show up for a hearing, one of whom told authorities she feared for her life.
Contact the writer:
444-1279, jason.kuiper@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
