APD makes arrest in Saturday shooting death at Legends Night Club

ALBANY — A week after Albany Police Department Chief Michael Persley delivered official Safe City Coalition recommendations on how to reduce violent crime within the community to Mayor Dorothy Hubbard, a shooting outside an East Broad Avenue night club took the life of another Albany man.

And on Monday, the Dougherty County coroner said a young man shot in January succumbed to his wounds, bringing this year’s homicide total for the city to four.

APD announced Monday that an arrest had been made in Saturday’s shooting at Legends Night Club, which took the life of 31-year-old Jack Carlton Williams III and sent another victim to the hospital with non-life-threatening wounds.

“Albany Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit has charged 27-year-old Johnny Bernard Smith with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime,” APD spokeswoman Phyllis Banks said Monday in a press release. “Smith, who was accompanied by his lawyer, turned himself in this morning at approximately 9 a.m. at the Law Enforcement Center. Smith has been transported to the Dougherty County Jail for booking.”

Another murder, however, now awaits APD investigators after Anthony Dawson, 16, succumbed Monday to wounds he received in January when he was shot on South Jackson Street.

“Mr. Dawson passed away this morning,” Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler said. “I pronounced him deceased at 9:48 a.m. He suffered a gunshot wound to the chest back in January, had received treatment and returned home when he went into cardiac arrest. I believe his death to be directly related to the wounds he received when he was shot, making this a homicide.”

According to Fowler, an autopsy will be performed, possibly, as early as this weekend.

Dawson was shot on Jan. 13 on the 2200 block of South Jackson Street, according to APD reports.

“We made contact with the shooting victims, Gernard and Anthony Dawson,” Officer Larry Hart wrote in a Jan. 13 police report of the incident. “Contact was made with Anthony first in the trauma room. Anthony advised that they went to South Jackson Street to see about Gernard’s sister’s car. Gernard advised that someone hit the rental car that she was in. Anthony stated once they pulled up, someone started shooting.

“Once the shots were fired, Anthony stated that Gernard drove off. As Gernard was driving off, Anthony stated that he was then shot.”

According to APD officials, the investigation into Dawson’s shooting is active, and anyone with information is asked to call the Albany Police Department at (229) 431-2100 or Crime Stoppers at (229) 436-TIPS (8477).