Man Arrested After Argument at Valdosta Party Ends in Shooting, Police Say

VALDOSTA, Ga. – A 43-year-old man has been arrested after police say he shot another man following an argument during a party Saturday night in Valdosta.

Officers with the Valdosta Police Department responded at approximately 8:20 p.m. on July 25 to the 2100 block of Robin Street after receiving reports of a shooting.

Before officers arrived, a caller notified E911 that the victim was already being transported to the hospital by a private citizen.

When officers reached the scene, witnesses provided a detailed description of the suspected shooter. Officers quickly located 43-year-old Thomas Howard Barnes nearby, and he matched the description provided by witnesses. Barnes was taken into custody without incident.

Detectives and crime scene investigators determined that both Barnes and the victim, a 36-year-old man, had been attending a party at a residence on Robin Street.

According to investigators, the two men became involved in a heated argument during the gathering. Witnesses told detectives that Barnes went to a vehicle, retrieved a firearm and shot the victim.

The victim and another witness fled the scene before being picked up by a passing citizen, who transported them to South Georgia Medical Center.

The victim underwent emergency surgery and remains in critical but stable condition, police said.

Barnes was booked into the Lowndes County Jail and charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Detectives said the investigation remains active and additional charges may be filed.