Eric Woods Charged In Shooting At Storm Car Wash In East Brainerd That Left 2 Men With Gunshot Wounds

Chattanooga Police have charged Eric Lebron Woods in connection with a Wednesday afternoon shooting in East Brainerd that left two men with bullet wounds.

Woods, 23, was charged with two counts of attempted criminal homicide, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault.

Police said several customers were at the Storm Car Wash on Mackey Avenue cleaning their vehicles when shots rang out. The customers began diving for cover and hid behind their vehicles.

At least two windows of the business and several customer cars were struck by bullets.

Lawarren Smith Jr. was shot in the chest and was taken into surgery. Ira Thomas was shot in the leg in the incident just before 5 p.m.

Police found numerous spent shell casings from four different type ammunition in groupings on the ground. Those included 9 mm, 5.728,, .300 Blackout and .40 caliber. 

Witnesses said there were two SUVs and a Ford Explorer with the occupants firing from inside the vehicles.

Surveillance video showed a silver GMC Terrain with a Florida tag and a white GMC Terrain. A  black male wearing a blue shirt is seen driving into the car wash and backing into a spot. He then rolled down the window and began firing a handgun into a black Mercedes Benz occupied by the two victims. The silver Terrain then flees the scene.

Police were advised that Eric Woods is known to drive one of the vehicles at the scene.

Woods was interviewed and acknowledged being at the car wash. He said gunshots began coming from several vehicles and he said he began firing his 8mm Glock toward the black Mercedes Benz.

Police said a gun in possession of Woods was matched to shell casings from the scene.