McMiller
Two men have been arrested in connection to an assault that occurred in Bessemer City in February. The arrest came just one day after police had released footage of the attack.
The attack occurred on February 20th at a basketball court on S. 14th Street in Bessemer City. According to reports, the scene of the attack was alarmingly close to a playground where children were playing, and a senior center where 100 elderly individuals were playing bingo. A group of adults was playing basketball in the court when three individuals pulled up in a black vehicle. Two of these individuals ran up behind the group of players brandishing an AM-15 rifle, and began to attack one of the players.
The surveillance footage showed the players scatter and drive off in their cars as the two suspects ganged up on one individual, kicking and punching them while they laid upon the ground. Reports indicated that the suspect with the rifle had tried twice to fire the rifle, but the rifle malfunctioned both times. The video then shows the two suspects leave the scene, one of the men skipping off the court with the rifle still in his hands.
Meeks
After the attacks, which were thought to be gang related, the City Manager of Bessemer City ordered the rims to be taken off of the basketball hoops. Meanwhile, officials worked together to try to track down the suspects who they said had been driving a black Infinity G37 with North Carolina plates EJV-8893. The police report also indicated that none of the witnesses called police after the attack.
Police released the footage of the assault on Tuesday, and by Wednesday two of the suspects had come forward and turned themselves in. The suspects arrested were 21-year-old Dequan McMiller, and 21-year-old Michael Meeks III. They were both booked into Gaston County Jail on $150,000 bond with charges of felony malicious assault in secret and felony conspiracy.
