Abbeville Police make arrest after Christmas Eve shooting

During the early evening hours of Dec. 24, 2015, the Abbeville Police Department responded to the area East Eighth Street and South Lamar Street after receiving a report of shots fired.
During the initial investigation, officers learned that a person had been shot and was transported to Abbeville General Hospital by a citizen.
Investigators were called to the scene and several spent bullet casings were located in the middle of the roadway.
According to the victim, he was walking down Eighth Street when a vehicle approached him and an occupant in the vehicle began shooting, striking him once in the leg. The victim described the vehicle as a maroon four-door car. The victim was treated and released from the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
A witness approached officers and gave them a name of the owner of the maroon four-door car as well as the name of an occupant in the vehicle.
Shortly after receiving the information, the suspect vehicle was observed leaving a residence on Leblanc Street. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle where the driver, as well as two passengers, was detained.
Investigators went to the residence where the suspect’s vehicle was seen leaving. During a search, investigators located three firearms inside the residence. One of the firearms was reported stolen.
Investigators gathered evidence showing the driver of the suspect vehicle was in possession of the firearms.
The driver of the suspect vehicle, Bryson Willis, 19, of Abbeville was arrested and charged with 3 counts of felon in possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a stolen firearm. The two passengers were released at that time, pending further investigation.
The shooting incident is still under investigation. Anyone having information about the shooting is asked to contact Abbeville Police Department Tip’s Line at (337) 892-6777.