Two charged with attempted murder in Ozark

Two Ozark men have been arrested in connection with a March 15 shooting in Ozark.

Da’mier Quadree Dontavis McDaniel and Lakevion Cerano Shider, both 19, are in Dale County  Jail charged with five counts of attempted murder each.

According to Ozark Police Chief Charles Ward, police were dispatched to the area of Highway 231 at Andrews Avenue after a report of a shooting that occurred at approximately 5:20 p.m.

When police and Dale County Sheriff's Deputies arrived at the scene they discovered that five people had been shot. Three of the victims were transported to Dale Medical Center for treatment and were released. Two others were transported to Southeast Medical Center and are listed in critical condition, Ward said.

Through witness statements and surveillance footage, officers were able to identify McDaniel and Shider as the occupants of a blue Chevrolet Silverado traveling alongside the victims’ vehicle who opened fire before fleeing the scene of the shooting. The vehicle, without occupants, was later located on Noah Circle in Ozark.

“Investigators worked leads throughout the night and discovered that both suspects were hiding from law enforcement in Clio,” Ward said. “With multijurisdictional assistance, law enforcement safely apprehended both suspects on Plank Road in Clio.”

Ward said preliminary investigation revealed that the shooting was the result of an ongoing dispute with one of the victims and the suspects. The case is still under investigation, he said.

Ozark police were assisted by the Dale County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Corrections K-9 unit, Barbour County Sheriff’s Office, the Clio and Louisville Police Departments and the Dale County Probation and Parole Office.