Two people who were shot during a home invasion at a tri-plex on Shallowford Road testified Friday they were fighting for their lives against the two unmasked gunmen.
Jerel Fair, who was shot 10 times in the Sept. 13 incident, said, "When there are no masks, they are going to kill you. They are not going to leave no witnesses."
Eric Lee, who also struggled with the gunmen and was shot, said he has no trouble identifying Christopher Kelley, who is charged in the case. He said, "I have dreams about that face."
A third man, Naamon Collins, was also shot in the incident at 79 Shallowford. He was so drunk on a couch that he did not wake up - even after he was shot, it was testified.
Charges against Kelley that include three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault and especially aggravated robbery were bound to the Grand Jury. General Sessions Court Judge Clarence Shattuck set his bond at $300,000.
Prosecutor Lila Statom said Kelley is a "verified gang member" who snickered during the hearing and had to be told by the judge to sit back down with other prisoners while the hearing continued.
Mr. Lee said it was around 1 a.m. and he was getting ready to go to bed when he heard knocking at the front door. He said the two men burst into the residence with handguns drawn. He said they demanded money and he finally told them he had $1,200 in another room. He said he had intended to use the money for tuition at Chattanooga State.
He said Kelley hit him in the head with his gun, knocking him to the floor. He said Kelley later dragged him into another room.
The witness said his step-father, Fair, then opened the door, and both gunman opened fire on him. Mr. Lee said he got up and charged into the living room, jumping over a couch. He said he was shot in the chest by Kelley as he did.
He said he wrestled with one of the men and finally got the gun away from him. He said he hit the gunman in the head with it as he left.
Mr. Fair said he had not had time to close the door when shots began hitting him. He said, "I said, "What the ----, but I did not have time to get out" the last word.
The witness, who struggled to walk with a walker and who had to be supported in a chair as he testified, said as he wrestled with Kelley for the gun that Kelley told the other man to kill him.
He said when some 13 shots had been fired and the pair had left, he finally awakened the man on the couch. He said he had been shot in the heart, but the bullet had been deflected by hitting his thumb and shattering his cellphone. Mr. Collins was undergoing surgery on Friday and not available to testify.
Mr. Fair said he got Collins into his car, then managed to drive to Parkridge Hospital. He said, "I laid down on the floor and asked for help."