Suspect in slaying pleads not guilty
By Kat Russell, Reporter
The Paducah Sun
April 19, 2016
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/041916_PS_Powell_Arraignment
A Paducah man, accused of fatally shooting another man over the weekend, pleaded not guilty Monday during an arraignment at McCracken County Jail.
Denzell Powell, 23, was charged Saturday with first-degree assault after the shooting, but that charge was upped to murder after the victim, Gary Johnson, 46, died that day.
According to the Paducah Police Department, officers responded to a shots fired call about 12:45 a.m. Saturday outside The Brickhouse, on Boyd Street, and found Johnson lying on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound.
Police said they started administering CPR and Johnson was transported to Baptist Health Paducah, where he later died.
Witnesses told police that several people were shooting when Johnson was struck. The victim, Johnson, was not involved in the shooting, according to police, but was standing in the line of fire.
Detectives soon identified Powell as a suspect.
Powell was located several hours later and arrested on an unrelated warrant charging him with first-degree wanton endangerment.
Police said during an interview with detectives, Powell stated he was firing his weapon at two men who were shooting at him.
Police determined the two other shooters were Christopher Smith, 34, and Tracell Nunn, 27, both of Paducah.
Smith was located and arrested on a charge of first-degree wanton endangerment. He is scheduled for arraignment at 9 a.m. on April 26.
A preliminary hearing for Powell has been scheduled for 1 p.m. the same day.
Police are still looking for Nunn.
Anyone with information about the shooting or Nunn's whereabouts can call police at 270-444-8550 or Crime Stoppers at 270-443-TELL.
Denzell Powell, 23, was charged Saturday with first-degree assault after the shooting, but that charge was upped to murder after the victim, Gary Johnson, 46, died that day.
According to the Paducah Police Department, officers responded to a shots fired call about 12:45 a.m. Saturday outside The Brickhouse, on Boyd Street, and found Johnson lying on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound.
Police said they started administering CPR and Johnson was transported to Baptist Health Paducah, where he later died.
Witnesses told police that several people were shooting when Johnson was struck. The victim, Johnson, was not involved in the shooting, according to police, but was standing in the line of fire.
Detectives soon identified Powell as a suspect.
Powell was located several hours later and arrested on an unrelated warrant charging him with first-degree wanton endangerment.
Police said during an interview with detectives, Powell stated he was firing his weapon at two men who were shooting at him.
Police determined the two other shooters were Christopher Smith, 34, and Tracell Nunn, 27, both of Paducah.
Smith was located and arrested on a charge of first-degree wanton endangerment. He is scheduled for arraignment at 9 a.m. on April 26.
A preliminary hearing for Powell has been scheduled for 1 p.m. the same day.
Police are still looking for Nunn.
Anyone with information about the shooting or Nunn's whereabouts can call police at 270-444-8550 or Crime Stoppers at 270-443-TELL.
