Two Men Charged in Dalton Drive-By Shooting

The Dalton Police Department has charged two men in connection with a drive-by shooting that occurred near downtown Dalton on January 28th. Joshua Lee Edwards, 36, of Dalton, faces two counts of aggravated assault, while Gordon Ray Austin, 40, also of Dalton, has been charged with being party to a crime (aggravated assault) and a probation violation.

The incident took place near the intersection of Hamilton Street and Tyler Street on Sunday, January 28th, around 4:00 pm. Two pedestrians reported that as they were walking on the sidewalk, a pickup truck passed them, and shots were fired from inside the vehicle. One of the pedestrians sustained a minor injury from a ricocheted bullet, while the other escaped unharmed.

Following an investigation involving video footage, photographs from nearby cameras, and multiple interviews, authorities identified the vehicle as a white Ford F-150 driven by Joshua Edwards. The investigation revealed that Edwards, accompanied by Gordon Austin, initially drove past the victims before returning and firing at least five shots at them. Investigators believe the shooting was random, and the victims were unknown to the suspects.

Warrants for the arrest of Edwards and Austin were obtained by the Dalton Police Department on Tuesday, March 26th. Austin was already in custody at the Whitfield County Jail on an unrelated probation violation charge and was served with his warrant there. Edwards was apprehended later that evening during a traffic stop on the Highway 41 bypass after officers discovered the warrant for his arrest.