On April 28, 2024, bullets littered The Vault apartment complex in Statesboro due to a shootout in the parking lot. By the end of the incident, an uninvolved 20-year-old male was shot in the abdomen and five vehicles had bullet holes in them.
18-year-old Shamarge Zakee Brown of Sylvania and 19-year-old Aurico Ricardo Deluader Jr of Statesboro were arrested by the Statesboro Police Department on April 28, 2024.
Indictment
In June 2024, a Bulloch County grand jury returned a True Bill of Indictment for both individuals on six charges:
- Aggravated Assault – For ‘engaging in a shootout with unknown individuals resulting in an uninvolved part being shot in his abdomen. (The individual later recovered)
- Criminal Damage to Property (1st degree) – a 2018 Nissan Sentra owned by an uninvolved party (bullet holes)
- Criminal Damage to Property (1st degree) – a 2012 Nissan Altima belonging to an uninvolved party (bullet holes)
- Criminal Damage to Property (1st degree) – a 2013 Hyundai Veloster belonging to an uninvolved party (bullet holes)
- Criminal Damage to Property (1st degree) – a 2008 Toyota 4Runner belonging to an uninvolved party (bullet holes)
- Criminal Damage to Property (1st degree) – a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu belonging to an uninvolved party (bullet holes)
Both remained in the Bulloch County Jail while awaiting court action.
Sentence
On June 10, both Delauder and Brown appeared in Bulloch County Superior Court before Judge Michael Muldrew.
Delauder pleaded guilty to all six counts. He was sentenced to serve eight years in prison followed by twelve years on probation with credit for time served in the Bulloch County Jail over the last 14 months. He was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and $3,075.81 in restitution for the damaged vehicles.
Brown entered a guilty plea on five counts of Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree. The Aggravated Assault charge was dismissed. He was sentenced to a total 150-180 days in a Probation Detention Center followed by 10 years probation and a $1,500 fine. Brown was also given credit for time served in the Bulloch County Jail dating back to his arrest on April 28, 2024. Part of Brown’s sentence also included $3,075.81 in restitution for the damaged property.
Both individuals are barred from contacting any of the victims in the case, will be subject to a curfew while on probation, and cannot possess any firearms or ammunition. They’re also prohibited from contacting each other.
Delauder was represented by defense attorney Jonathan Dunn while Brown was represented by the Public Defender’s Office.
Arquise Dejaun Newton was initially charged with False Statements and Writings in connection with the incident, but the warrants were dismissed in October 2024 as part of an agreement in another case in which Newton was involved.
