Jury Convicts Man of Shooting Up Convenience Store

class=”alignleft wp-image-8450″ src=”http://klax-tv.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Gavel-300×225.jpg” alt=”Gavel” width=”231″ height=”173″ />CHARLES E. JACKSON, 29 of Alexandria, was charged with ATTEMPTED MURDER and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon arising out of an incident which occurred at a convenience store in Alexandria.

The defendant made an early morning liquor purchase and went out to his car where he sampled the liquor.  Surveillance video at the store showed the defendant returning to the store and arguing with the store owner demanding a refund or exchange because the liquor was the wrong flavor (Jackson wanted Lemon Twist gin, but the clerk sold him unflavored gin).  When the store owner refused to exchange the opened bottle of liquor the defendant left the premises.  Surveillance video shortly thereafter showed an individual returning to the store with a semi-automatic assault rifle and firing approximately 8 shots into the store from the parking lot.

The shooter in that video had the same type of shoes and pants as those worn by the defendant in the earlier confrontation.  The shooters face was concealed by a mask.  Alexandria Police found an assault rifle under the house next door to the defendant’s residence.  Ballistic tests confirmed that the assault rifle used at the store was the weapon found under the house.  Another witness testified that the defendant had remarked that he was the individual who had “shot up the store.”

After a four day trial ending August 15, 2014,  the jury unanimously convicted the defendant as charged in forty minutes.  Sentencing is set for September 29, 2014.

The defendant has four prior felony convictions and depending upon the length of sentence given by the presiding Judge he may be later charged as a multiple offender.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Brian Cespiva and Johnny Giordano.