DECATUR - Jaylon L. Dennis, 20, was charged Monday with attempted murder and other firearm charges relating to the Aug. 3 shooting of Adrian Hopson, 21, in the parking lot of a liquor store in the 1100 block of East Wood Street.

Dennis also was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and unlawful possession of marijuana because police found about 18.9 grams of the drug in a shoebox in the bedroom of a house in the 2400 block of East Main Street where Dennis was sleeping when officers arrived to arrest him about 5 p.m. Aug. 4.

A charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse was filed against Dennis because authorities allege he impregnated his 14-year-old girlfriend. She told police that she had consensual intercourse with Dennis five to 10 times over the last four months.

Attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm are Class X felonies punishable by six to 30 years in prison upon conviction.

Macon County State's Attorney Jack Ahola said the attempted murder charge could carry an add-on sentence of 25 years to life because Hopson suffered great bodily harm when he was shot in the upper left chest.

Decatur police responded to a call of shots fired and a person down about 10:10 p.m. Aug. 3 at JB's Liquor. They found Hopson, who witnesses said had tried to break up a fight that started in the parking lot.

In a sworn statement filed in circuit court, police detective David Pruitt said a witness indicated seeing a fight in the parking lot and a man was running into Wood Street before walking back toward the fight. He said the man was seen pulling what was believed to be a gun from his waistband and firing in the direction of the crowd on the parking lot.

The man with the gun then ran from the scene, Pruitt said. The witness stated the man put the gun back down the front of his pants as he ran southeast across a well-lit gas station parking lot, Pruitt said.

When the witness was shown a photo lineup, Dennis was identified as the shooter, Pruitt said. A second witness who was involved in the fight stated he saw Dennis with a gun on the parking lot but turned to run and did not see who fired shots, he said.

When Dennis was arrested, he stated he had a BB gun while on the liquor store parking lot Aug. 3 but denied shooting anyone, Pruitt said.

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