One person was killed and three people were injured in a shooting at a vacant apartment in Birmingham. A dispute about possible theft, and not about a home invasion, police say

A September shooting that left one person dead and three others injured, including the suspect, was not a home invasion but an apparent dispute between at least two people living together in a vacant apartment in Birmingham, police testified Wednesday.

Tyler Reed Sanders, 21, is charged with murder on September 2 murder of 49 year old Lafontae Dejarris Lenard.

He is also charged with two counts of attempted murder that wounded Tameka Williams and Sander’s uncle, Freddie Wilson, who authorities said is still on life support more than two months after the gunfire.

Sanders appeared before Jefferson County District Judge William Bell for a preliminary hearing. When it was over, Bell ruled there was enough evidence to send the cases to a Jefferson County grand jury for consideration of an indictment.

The case is being handled by Deputy District Attorney Charissa Henrich. Sanders is represented by Sammie Shaw of the Jefferson County Public’s Defender’s Office.

Just before 11pm that Monday, South Precinct officers were dispatched to a report of a burglary in progress at the University Crossings apartments in the 200 block of Third Avenue SW

Police were en route when they received updated information that someone had been shot. Authorities initially described the incident as a possible home invasion.

Officers arrived and found Sanders shot outside the apartment complex. He was taken to UAB Hospital with serious injuries. After being released, he was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on September 10, where he remains held.

Officers discovered that there was another victim in the apartment. Lenard was found unconscious in a bathroom and pronounced dead at the scene at 11:23 p.m

Williams and Wilson were also found injured and taken to UAB.

Det. Birmingham Homicide. Mark Green was the only witness at Wednesday’s hearing.

He said Sanders, his uncle and Lenard all lived in the second-floor apartment, but the apartment was not rented to anyone and would be vacant.

When police arrived on the scene, a woman who lives in the apartment below said a man brandishing a gun — later identified as Sanders — walked up to the apartment and she heard someone say, “You owe me money,” followed by shots . dismissed.

Green said investigators recovered 11 rifle casings and five 9mm casings, indicating gunfire was involved.

Sanders told authorities that he had been to the apartment before and that his uncle – Wilson – had threatened to kill him.

He said that on the way to the apartment he picked up a rifle that he and his uncle had bought together and that he was going to deliver the rifle to Wilson.

Green said Sanders reported that his uncle started shooting as soon as he entered the apartment, and that he returned fire.

Williams told police she had only arrived at the apartment about 20 minutes before the shooting and that Sanders came in “at 10 o’clock,” which he said meant annoyed.

Williams would not provide additional information, including who started the gunfight, according to authorities.

Another woman in the apartment did not cooperate with investigators, according to the detective.

Lenard, a friend of Williams, also stayed at the apartment with Williams and Sanders.

Green testified that after the shooting, Sanders asked officers if he could get his cell phone, which was charging in the apartment, and also said, “I’m not a thief.”

Green testified that “a man with dreadlocks” grabbed both guns and fled the scene after the shooting.

The detective said there was evidence it was Lenard who fired back at Sanders.

Shaw argued that there was not enough evidence against Sanders to pursue the case against his client.

“We do not have any evidence in this case that Mr. Sanders shot any of the victims,” Shaw said. “There is no testimony that Mr. Sanders shot anyone.”

“We do not have any scientific evidence that the projectiles that hit anyone came from a weapon assigned to Mr. Sanders,” Shaw said.

“Nobody saw what happened in this situation,” he said.

“The logical conclusion would be that someone thought Mr. Sanders had stolen something from them and when he re-entered that apartment, the altercation ensued and someone shot Mr. Sanders,” Shaw said. “And then he defended himself.”

Henrich said the testimony showed Sanders was enraged, pulled out a gun and started shooting. She said the issue of self-defense should be considered at trial, and not at this stage of the judicial process.

Shaw then asked that Sanders be granted bond on the murder charge. Bonds have already been set for the attempted murder charge.

He said Sanders has an employment history and that if released, he would live with his parents under whatever circumstances the judge deems appropriate.

“He doesn’t have the resources to run even if he wanted to,” Shaw said.

Henrich argued against bond for Sanders. Another judge at an Aniah’s Law hearing for Sanders ordered Sanders held without bond and the prosecutor asked that it remain that way.

“I don’t think having a large bank account necessarily gives you the ability to flee the jurisdiction,” Henrich said. “The question is whether or not he would appear in court and whether or not he poses a danger to the community.”

Bell ordered Sanders held without bond.

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