A shooting early Saturday morning took the life of a 27-year-old man and injured two bystanders by stray gunshots.
According to Charlottesville police, the victim, Margues Lamont Carter of Charlottesville, was shot about 2:30 a.m. at a parking lot at the 700 block of West Main Street, near Starr Hill Music Hall. He later died at University Medical Center.
The murder suspect's gunshots also struck a 22-year-old Charlottesville woman in the leg and a 24-year-old Fluvanna man in the buttock. Their names have not yet been released.
Charlottesville Police Sgt. Dave Jones said authorities identified the suspect as Robert Leroy Martinez, 26, based on eyewitness interviews. Police did not disclose Martinez's home address.
"The interviewing is not completed," said Jones, but Martinez already has been identified as a suspect by "a number of eyewitnesses."
Police have not disclosed the type of gun used or number of bullets fired in the incident.
Identifying Martinez's whereabouts is the current case priority for police.
"We're looking for a location where he may be now," Jones said.
According to Jones, the police intend to charge Martinez with one count of "homicide, two counts of malicious wounding and three counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony."
Jones confirmed that Martinez has a previous felony drug conviction on his record.
He also classified the relationship between Martinez and the victim Carter as "unknown."
Police believe that Martinez and Carter have no connections to the University.
Authorities describe Martinez as a black male, 5-feet-11-inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds. Police warn that he may be armed with a handgun and is dangerous.
University Police Sgt. Alan Marshall said the best way for the University community to protect itself against at-large crime suspects is to follow normal safety practices.
"Don't walk in dark places and always walk with another person," Marshall said. "If you see anything strange, report it. You can go to any emergency phone and hit the [red] button if you see something strange."
Marshall added that individuals should trust their instincts to know when someone is behaving in a suspect manner.
"The main thing is being cautious and looking at little details about people," Marshall said. "If you see someone strange hanging around an area for an unusual amount of time, flags go up. Report it and we'll investigate."
Anyone with information about Saturday's shooting or Martinez's whereabouts is urged to call Crimestoppers at 970-4000 or Charlottesville police Det. Randy Higgins at 970-3294.
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