A man was arrested by police this week for his alleged connection to a May 18 shooting spree in downtown Savannah that ended with 10 different people being shot. The same man was in police custody 50 days earlier for felony drug crimes, but was released on bond of $4,950 on April 1, court documents show.

William Anthony Mitchell on Tuesday, May 21, became the first arrest for law enforcement working to solve the May 18 mass shooting which occurred near Ellis Square in downtown Savannah. That incident is being investigated by the Savannah Police Department (SPD) with help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

But Mitchell was arrested only two months prior to the Ellis Square shooting, on Saturday, March 30. That arrest, court documents show, was made by SPD officer Howard Crosby. Mitchell was represented then by attorney Gregory N. Crawford and was given bond when Recorder’s Court Judge Crystal Harman signed off on the order on April 1 – Mitchell’s 20th birthday.

He was charged then with possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, as well as possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Mitchell’s conditions of bond, court documents show, included being fitted with an ankle monitor, along with a mandate to not be arrested or charged with any other law violations and to avoid possessing, carrying, or using a firearm.

Crawford spoke with Connect Savannah over the phone on Wednesday night, May 22, saying he was scheduled to meet with Mitchell’s family the following day to discuss his being retained in Mitchell’s latest case.

He said Mitchell was picked up by SPD “as soon as they had the warrant signed by a judge.” Crawford did not know which judge signed off on the warrant for Mitchell, but he did say police “knew exactly where to find him” once it was signed.

“I’ll say this. I do not think my client was the one who initiated any shootings that night,” Crawford said of Mitchell’s alleged role in the Ellis Square mass shooting.

The ‘mass shooting’ label put on the May 18 event is potentially misleading, given that no deaths occurred in Ellis Square. But criteria used by the FBI and Gun Violence Archive (GVA) puts Ellis Square firmly in the mass shooting category.

“Mass Shootings … have a minimum of four victims shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter who may also have been killed or injured in the incident,” says the GVA website.

Mitchell, 20, was charged with eight felony counts (four for aggravated assault and four for possession of firearm during commission of or attempt to commit certain crimes) and one misdemeanor charge (for contempt of court) for the Ellis Square incident. He is charged by the District Attorney’s office and was arrested by SPD, according to Crawford, at a residence on Bradley Blvd., sometime after 12 noon on Tuesday, May 21.
“I was told that (police) went in there after they took (Mitchell) off,” Crawford said. “They went in, and they looked everywhere for guns in that house. They didn’t find any guns.”

Police are still searching for suspects related to the May 18 mass shooting.

“Multiple persons of interest are being sought,” in connection to Ellis Square, according to an SPD press release sent to media outlets on Wednesday, May 22, more than 24 hours after Mitchell’s arrest was made.

All victims from the Ellis Square incident were treated by EMS personnel and all had been released from Memorial Health University Medical Center as of Tuesday night, May 21.

The FBI, in coordination with SPD, is seeking any video or photographs taken around the time of the May 18 shooting near Ellis Square. Savannah police detectives are asking anyone with information to call CrimeStoppers at 912.234.2020.

On Friday, May 24, the FBI announced it was offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrests of other suspects police believe to be involved in the Ellis Square shooting.

Name: MITCHELL, WILLIAM ANTHONY
Arrest Date: 05/21/2024
Agency: SAVANNAH PD
Charges:
16-5-21 – AGGRAVATED ASSAULT – F
16-5-21 – AGGRAVATED ASSAULT – F
16-5-21 – AGGRAVATED ASSAULT – F
16-5-21 – AGGRAVATED ASSAULT – F
16-11-106 – POSSESSION OF FIREARM OR KNIFE DURING COMMISSION OF OR ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CERTAIN FELONIES – F
16-11-106 – POSSESSION OF FIREARM OR KNIFE DURING COMMISSION OF OR ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CERTAIN FELONIES – F
16-11-106 – POSSESSION OF FIREARM OR KNIFE DURING COMMISSION OF OR ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CERTAIN FELONIES – F
16-11-106 – POSSESSION OF FIREARM OR KNIFE DURING COMMISSION OF OR ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CERTAIN FELONIES – F
16-1-4 – CONTEMPT OF COURT – M

This article appears in Connect Savannah I Best of Savannah.