July 29, 2005
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

ACCUSED GUNMAN IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING TURNS HIMSELF IN

A 16-year-old DeLand boy accused of being the triggerman in a drive-by shooting that injured another teen has turned himself in. And now he’s facing yet another criminal charge after a corrections officer found four bullets in his shoe. Meanwhile, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office continues to search for the driver, who’s facing charges of being an accomplice to the shooting.

The shooting took place on May 8 on South Adelle Avenue near DeLand. A passenger in a passing vehicle fired a shot at a group of people standing near a restaurant, striking 17-year-old Barnabus Jones in the torso. Jones has since recovered from the wound, and deputies believe he wasn’t the intended target. The investigation led to 16-year-old Brandon Blanks, who was initially charged with stealing the 9 mm handgun believed to have been used in the shooting. According to witness statements, Blanks was armed with the handgun on May 8 when he got into a car driven by another teen, 18-year-old Kofi Smith. Blanks was reportedly looking to settle a score with another teen he had been have problems with. When he spotted the intended target, Blanks opened fire, instead striking Jones once in the chest.

Blanks turned himself in at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach overnight on a warrant charging him with aggravated battery. Blanks also was charged with introducing contraband into a detention facility after a routine search during the booking process turned up four bullets in a plastic bag tucked into one of his shoes. The Sheriff’s Office has obtained a warrant charging Smith, who witnesses said drove the car used in the shooting, with being a principal to aggravated battery. Anyone with information regarding Smith’s whereabouts is asked to contact Sheriff’s investigator Kim Partington at (386) 943-7866 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida, toll-free, at (888) 277-TIPS. Callers to Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and can qualify for a reward of up to $1,000.