VALDOSTA – The suspect in a Saturday evening shooting during a wedding party has been charged, according to the Valdosta Police Department.

KeShawn Whipple, 19, of Fitzgerald is charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and reckless conduct, according to a Valdosta police report released Sunday. Whipple is in custody, according to authorities.

A 27-year-old man was shot during the incident; he was in stable condition Sunday afternoon at South Georgia Medical Center, according to the VPD.

City police received a call referring to shots fired at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center, Valdosta Police Chief Brian Childress said. 

Hundreds of people were at the center. 

An argument broke out during a wedding celebration inside the center, the chief said. The argument moved to the conference center parking lot where a man pulled a gun and fired multiple shots. 

Childress said Valdosta police officers and Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputies immediately set up a perimeter around the center and arrested a suspect. The male suspect was positively identified as the shooter by multiple witnesses at the scene, Childress said. 

“This is a terrible thing, but the silver lining is that, because of the combined effort of our local law enforcement, we were able to quickly apprehend the suspect before he could get away.”