Chattanooga Police Briefs: Gunfire wounds man in Brainerd

Gunfire wounds man in Brainerd

A 28-year-old man underwent emergency surgery Thursday night for gunshot wounds he sustained that afternoon at a Brainerd address.

Chattanooga police responded to the shooting at 3710 Chula Vista Drive around 2:30 p.m., police spokesman Nathan Hartwig said. Neither the victim's name nor a motive for the shooting was released Thursday evening.

Police are pursuing leads on suspect information, Hartwig said.

Police charge 2 in shootings

Chattanooga police detectives have charged two people in connection with two shooting incidents earlier this week.

Police arrested Fred Sails Jr., 27, in connection with Tuesday's shooting in East Lake Courts that wounded Joe Houston, 50, said police spokesman Officer Nathan Hartwig.

Sails has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault.

Police also arrested a 15-year-old in relation to another Tuesday shooting incident at 2505 Oak St. The juvenile also is facing charges in the Club Fathom shooting on Christmas, Hartwig said.

He has been charged with felony reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm in addition to the attempted murder charges he faces in the Club Fathom incident, said Hartwig.

Missing woman last seen at shelter

Chattanooga police are looking for a 25-year-old woman they say was last seen nearly six months ago leaving a shelter for abused women.

Erika Whaley has been missing since August, when witnesses say they saw her climbing into a red truck at the Chattanooga shelter, police spokesman Officer Nathan Hartwig said.

Whaley is described as 4 feet 11 inches tall and 115 pounds and has short dark hair.

Anyone with information on Whaley's whereabouts can contact the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525.

2 identity theft suspects sought

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is trying to identify identity-theft suspects who are cashing counterfeit checks at grocery stores.

From September through December 2011, the suspects were issued Tennessee IDs by using falsified documents and also stole personal information from people, Hamilton County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Janice Atkinson said. They used the fake IDs to cash counterfeit payroll checks at Bi-Lo and Piggly Wiggly stores across the state, she said.

The suspects have received about $10,000 in cash from using fake IDs in the Hamilton County area and have also been active in Tullahoma, Shelbyville, East Ridge, Clarksville, Springfield and Athens, Tenn., Atkinson said.

Anyone with information can call their local law enforcement office, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office criminal investigation division at 423-209-8940 or the sheriff's dispatcher at 423-622-0022.

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