State Says "Beef" Between 2 Bloods Gangs Started Over A Female And Led Eventually To Shootings At College Hill Courts

  • Monday, March 27, 2017

The state presented testimony on Monday about a feud between two Bloods gangs that allegedly eventually led to a 16-year-old shooting up a unit at College Hill Courts - killing one woman, injuring another, leaving a child paralyzed and injuring a member of the other Bloods gang.

A city police gang expert said the bitter rift between the Athens Park Bloods based on the Southside and the Bounty Hunters Bloods began over a spat over a female.

He said Cortez Sims was a member of the Athens Park Bloods and he shot Marcel "Baby Watts" Christopher, a member of the Bounty Hunters.

The witness said that the mother of Sims, Shanika Ramsey, was shot earlier when a number of bullets were fired into her house on Pinelawn Avenue. Cortez Sims and his sister were inside the residence.

Sims is set to go to trial soon in the shooting of Christopher, the slaying of Talitha Bowman, the injury to the toddler and the shooting of Bianca Horton. Ms. Horton, who was set to be a key witness for the state against Sims, was later shot and killed. Her body was dumped by the side of a road.

Christopher was shot multiple times, including near the heart, the lungs and the stomach as well as the side, but he survived.

The gang expert said the incident that sparked a wave of violence started when several hundred people, including many gang members, crowded into Terry's Lounge on 6th Avenue. He said Martrel "Tricky Trel" Arnold had just gotten out of jail and was upset with Bobby Johnson, a leader of the Bounty Hunters. The witness said Arnold felt that Johnson "had been messing around with one of his girlfriends."

He said that night a fight broke out between the two Bloods sects and it "sparked a violent beef."

The witness said soon afterward shots were fired into a house on Central Avenue occupied by the aunt and uncle of an Athens Park Bloods member. The victims said they were told that the Bounty Hunters were responsible.

Then on Jan. 20, 2014, multiple shots were fired into a home on E. 50th Street with one of the shots killing 13-year-old Deontrey Southers, the step-son of Bobby Johnson. Athens Park Bloods were blamed.

The witness said since that time some want the feud to end, but he said, "Bobby Johnson has a vendetta against the Athens Park Bloods. He doesn't want it to end. He feels like it is still not even." 

On the day after the 13-year-old was killed, a house on Mulberry Street occupied by LaCharleston Haggard, an Athens Park Blood, was riddled with bullets. He said he had been targeted by the Bounty Hunters. His wife said she saw two men she knew as Bounty Hunters run through their back yard. One was carrying a rifle. Police found multiple shell casings, including rifle rounds.

Then 23-year-old Charles "Man Man" Jones, an Athens Park Blood, was gunned down on Fagan Street. The witness said someone from outside the home called out another man, but Jones went to the door and was shot and killed.

On Feb. 4, 2015, Quadarius Bowling, of the Bounty Hunters, was shot in the shoulder at his residence on W. 35th Street. He believed it was done by the Athens Park Bloods.

The incident in which the mother of Sims was shot was just 20 days later.

On Oct. 1, 2014, Lakita Bowling, mother of Quadarius Bowling, was shot as she drove with him on 4th Avenue. The witness said Quadarius Bowling was either targeted or shot at three different times.

Terrance Bivins, 28, was shot and killed on Oct. 27, 2014, on Central Avenue. He was an Athens Park Blood.

On the first day of 2015, Deoaunte Dean, an Athens Park Blood, was killed on Dorris Street. The witness said it was carried out in the same way as some previous killings when someone from outside called a person out, then shot them. It was believed that the Bounty Hunters were responsible.

Just over two weeks later came the shooting in which Sims is charged.

The witness said Sims posted several Facebook photos in which he is seen with other Athens Park Bloods and he flashes their gang sign.

A tape was played of a call that Sims made from the jail to Cornelius "Pooh" Birdsong, a leader of the Bounty Hunters except for the 18 years he was away in prison. 

Birdsong said at one point of the ongoing feud that "War is war. Both of us are going to lose on both sides. It ain't worth it."

He said the other side was "trying to eliminate us."

The witness said most of those involved in the feud are now dead or in prison.

 

 

 

 

 

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