Republic man charged with aggravated assault
A Republic man is accused of opening fire on people staking out a site where they believed stolen ATVs were hidden.
Ryan Lee, 20, is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, propelling a missile into occupied vehicles, propulsion of missiles onto roadways and disorderly conduct.
The alleged victims told police they had been parked in an SUV and truck on North and Fairgarden streets, about 60 yards north of the North Street address where they suspected they’d find the stolen quads.
Lee walked past them and into the North Street building, the complaint said. He returned with two other masked men, one of whom joined Lee in pointing pistols at the alleged victims, they told police.
Lee and the other man then fired eight rounds as the SUV and truck fled the scene, the complaint said.
Of those, according to court paperwork, one bullet ricocheted off the SUV and struck the driver’s jaw, another hit the truck and two more lodged in a home on Steel Street about eight feet away from a front porch where four people were sitting.
Security camera footage showed the shooters firing and then fleeing south, according to court paperwork.
A woman sitting outside who heard the gunfire also saw the two running on North Street, one of whom she recognized as Lee, she told police. A picture Lee sent her on Snapchat after the shooting also matched the outfit he was wearing as he ran, according to the complaint.
No bond information was available Monday afternoon.