Suspect in custody

Brannnon Lavelle Mackins, who was charged last week in connection with a shooting, turned himself in to the Cape Girardeau Police Department shortly after noon Monday.

Police have been searching for Mackins, 19, of Mounds, Ill., since he allegedly fled the scene after reportedly shooting John Lee Tate in the arm the afternoon of July 3, 2007, police said.

Tate, 26, of Cape Girardeau, was doing yard work at the apartment building at 2833 Themis St. where he has a maintenance job, when he became involved in an altercation with Mackins, according to a probable-cause statement written by patrolman Amy Walker of the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

The two men had argued just the day before, but this time it escalated when Tate asked Mackins to leave, Mackins began firing at him with a .38 caliber revolver, according to the sworn statement.

Tate suffered a gunshot wound to his left arm and drove himself to Saint Francis Medical Center for treatment.

Mackins ran from the scene on foot, where he later met up with alleged accomplice Alfonso Ellis, 23, of Cape Girardeau, and got into the car with him.

Police caught up with Ellis and arrested him 2900 block of Independence Street when they found a .38 caliber stainless steel revolver with pearl grips on the floorboard of Ellis's vehicle, according to the statement.

Ellis told police that Mackins said he had shot Tate and had given him the gun, according to the statement. Ellis was arrested Saturday and charged with tampering with evidence for receiving the gun.

Mackins, who has prior felony convictions of aggravated battery and robbery, was charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. His bond is set at $250,000.