MOULTRIE, Ga. — What was originally reported as an automobile accident near Willie J. Williams Middle School Tuesday was confirmed today by the Moultrie Police Department as a shooting incident.

The incident locked down both Willie J. Williams and Stringfellow Elementary School. Police initially described it to The Observer as a hit-and-run accident, which was true, but more details came out later.

MPD officers were originally responding to a report of shots fired in the area of the Arts Center Apartment complex on Seventh Avenue, according to Lt. David Corona of the MPD Criminal Investigations Division. 

“Shortly after, there was an accident at the intersection of Fourth Street Southwest and Seventh Avenue Southwest. When officers arrived there was a single vehicle on scene and the other vehicle had left,” Corona said in an interview Thursday afternoon.

He further stated that investigators learned that the vehicle that was still on scene was involved in the shooting. Police identified a passenger in the vehicle as Tamorious “TMO” Rakeem Collins and said he was a suspect in the shooting. Collins had left by the time officers arrived, and police are looking for him.

Authorities did not identify the driver in the vehicle and are still working to identify the victim’s vehicle. However, Corona did say there was a person of interest at the scene of the accident after authorities arrived.

Nobody was reported injured from the shooting or the accident. 

The accident was directly caused by the shooting, according to Corona.

“The offending vehicle (which police say contained Collins) shot at the victim’s vehicle and after that, the two vehicles collided,” Corona said.

Prior to the shooting, Collins was wanted on a probation violation warrant. He was previously on probation for voluntary manslaughter. Warrants have been taken out on Collins for aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

Authorities are currently searching for Collins. He is considered armed and dangerous. Any relevant information should be reported to the MPD, the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office or a 9-1-1 dispatcher.  

“You can report anonymously,” Corona said.