By Sherri Blevins
The month of March was a busy one for members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and local law enforcement agencies. Along with the numerous drug arrests made daily in the area,law enforcement has dealt with multiple reports of shooting incidents.
On March 23, 2023, Joseph Earl Cobb, 62, of Henagar, was arrested and charged with Assault 1st and Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling. The Henagar Police Department received a call at 6:27 pm about an incident at 131 Kelly Drive in Henagar. Deputies from both the Henagar PD and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the location and found that a female had been shot at the residence. The victim was taken to Erlanger Medical Center.
The suspect fled into a wooded area nearby, and the authorities secured the area blocking roadways to protect community members. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team was activated, located the suspect, and took him into custody. More charges could be pending from the incident.
DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden said of the incident: “It’s unfortunate something like this has happened in a small town like Henagar. We ask you to keep the families and this lady in your prayers as she recovers. We appreciate the response by all surrounding Law Enforcement Agencies. The public will never know how these situations have to be handled to ensure their safety, as simple as blocking roads and visiting homes to ensure they lock their doors and stay vigilant during these operations we are conducting. Everyone plays an extremely important role, and this incident proved just how important it is to apprehend someone and work together to do so, all while keeping others safe.”
“Huge Thanks to Chief Randall Smith, Henagar PD Officers, Ider PD, DeKalb EMA, Henagar Fire Department, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team Unit, and ALL others who assisted and offered to assist.”.
“When you have something like this take place, it’s amazing at the response you have from ALL emergency personnel in DeKalb County; that’s a definition of TRUE PUBLIC SERVICE!”
“God Bless!” Concluded Sheriff Welden.
On March 31, law enforcement officers were called on again to intervene in a dangerous situation involving guns. According to WHNT and a DCSO investigator, two people were shot during an altercation in Powell on Friday afternoon.
The report stated that officers with the DCSO and the Powell Police Department responded to a shooting near College Road in Powell. Two people were shot, but the reason behind the shooting could not be determined at that time. One of the gunshot victims was transported to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, but the other victim fled the scene in a car.
One investigator stated that it appeared that an argument had occurred in a yard, which resulted in shots being fired from someone in a car and from someone else in a house.