Published Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Shooting victim listed as critical

By Elizabeth Richardson

The Times-Herald

The victim of an early morning shooting on Ishman Ballard Road Tuesday is in "very critical condition," authorities said late Tuesday.

Brandon Fraizer, 23, of 110 Corncrib Court off Millard Farmer Road, was shot once in the head early Tuesday shortly after 2 a.m. at 650 Ishman Ballard Road, according to Capt. Tony Grant of the Coweta County Sheriff's Office.

The person responsible is being sought for criminal charges of aggravated assault -- additional charges are pending Fraizer's recovery.

Coweta 911 dispatchers received a call at 2:12 a.m. that a person had been shot and was lying in the yard at 650 Ishman Ballard Road. When sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene, the victim had already been taken to Piedmont Newnan Hospital by private vehicle. Fraizer was reportedly conscious at the scene and at the hospital, but told authorities that he did not know his attacker, according to Grant.

Fraizer was later airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center, where his condition is said to have deteriorated.

Police questioned 23-year-old Mario Britt, a resident of 650 Ishman Ballard Road.

According to Britt's statements to police, Fraizer was visiting Britt at the Ishman Ballard residence when he went outside to retrieve a basketball. Britt told police that while Fraizer was outside, Britt heard a gunshot and ran outside to find Fraizer on the ground "bleeding profusely," according to Grant. Britt then transported the victim to the hospital.

Investigators were told that the shooter came out of some nearby woods, though a description of the suspect was not given, according to the captain.

According to Grant, despite having a negligible amount of information to work with, investigators were able to generate a list of names, and then they spent much of the day Tuesday trying to locate those suspects for questioning.

There were no arrests as of late Tuesday, but investigators were in the process of conducting interviews in the case, according to Major James Yarbrough of the sheriff's office.

A search warrant was executed at 5 Annie St. in Newnan Tuesday afternoon in connection with this investigation, according to law enforcement.

Britt also faces possible drug charges, according to Yarbrough.

Anyone with additional information in this case is urged to call the sheriff's office, 770-253-1502.