1 dead, 1 hurt in morning Chattanooga shooting

Saturday, March 17, 2012

photo Jabari Jennings
photo Lawande Haggard
Map

4009 Fagan St.

4009 Fagan St.

Two Chattanooga men were shot Saturday morning - one fatally - when the intended victims of a drive-by opened fire on their attackers, according to police.

Officers on the scene Saturday believe that Jabari Jennings and Lawande Haggard initiated the gunfight from a rental car near 4009 Fagan St. Two or three people near the road returned fire. At some point, Jennings and Haggard left their vehicle. Jennings was shot in the face and died. Haggard was shot in the leg while fleeing and taken to the hospital.

"It was like the O.K. Corral," noted one officer.

Police are still searching for the other gunmen, but say that they know who they're looking for. Several witnesses described the shooters.

Police received multiple calls around 11:28 a.m. By 5:30 p.m., a crowd of young adults had gathered outside a block from the crime scene, drinking and listening to music.

"All of y'all shut up, it's the newspaper!" one yelled when a Times Free Press reporter approached. Several dozen people all declined to comment.

Haggard and Jennings have both had previous run-ins with the law, serving time for assault and drug possession respectively, court records show. Additionally, Haggard was charged with attempted first-degree murder in 2008, and Jennings was charged with contempt of court last Monday.