72-Year-Old Innocent Victim In Shooting At City View Apartments Was Lying On His Bed Playing Solitaire

The innocent victim in a case in which a barrage of shots was fired at the City View Apartments on June 12 was lying on his bed playing solitaire, police said during a preliminary hearing in General Sessions Court.

Charges of criminal homicide, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, reckless endangerment and possession of a firearm during a felony were bound to the Grand Jury against 22-year-old Jamaal White.

Judge Larry Ables set the total bond at $230,000.

According to proof, White saw someone breaking into his car, went inside to get his gun, then came back out and began firing at a blue Nissan Sentra.

Det. Steve Buckley said 17 spent 9mm spent shells were found over an extended area of the apartment complex. He said it appeared that White first fired at the front of the vehicle as it started down a hill, then continued shooting as it passed.

There were eight bullet holes in the Nissan and one tire was flattened.

Det. Buckley said the apartment of 72-year-old Cecil Scoffield, 72, was directly in line with where the bullets were being fired.

The girlfriend of White said around 10:30 p.m. they saw someone burglarizing their car. She said White went back in the apartment, got his gun, then went back outside. She said she saw White fire a warning shot, then she saw the Nissan trying to run him over and then saw him shoot at the car. Det. Buckley said the girlfriend had not mentioned before that the car aimed at White.

She said after the shooting incident that they went to his uncle to retrieve their dog, then returned to the apartment. White was arrested in Gwinnett County, Ga., a month and a half later. 

The female driver of the car was shot in the back. The passenger - her boyfriend - was not injured.

Cecil Scoffield "was known by many as a quiet, gentle giant." He was a 1970 graduate of Howard High School and had been employed at Scholze Tannery and the Chattanooga Housing Authority.

Family said, "If he wasn’t working the daily New York Times crossword puzzle (without a dictionary) he would engage anyone who was brave enough to go head-to-head with him regarding his beloved team, the Tennessee Titans.

"Cecil had no children but was a father figure to many. One would have no doubt realizing his love for his nieces and nephews, as it was evident in the love and care shown in his interaction with them. Each one was special to him in their own way."