Clark

THOMASVILLE — A local lawman said that when firearms stolen from a Florida sporting goods store surface, injury or death will be involved.

An ongoing investigation has resulted in eight Thomasville residents being charged in the April 25 burglary of a Tallahassee, Florida, sporting goods store.

Lt. Tim Watkins, Thomas County Sheriff’s Office chief investigator, said 44 firearms were taken.

Watkins said it is believed Amin Flyzell Clark, who is charged with 44 counts of theft by receiving stolen property, stole the firearms from the Tallahassee store and brought them to Georgia. The firearms have not been recovered.

“When they turn up, someone’s going to be bleeding or dead,”  Watkins said.

Clark, 16, 118 Neel St., was arrested Monday night at the Archbold Memorial Hospital emergency room.

Watkins said the sheriff’s office learned from Clark’s probation officer the teen was at the hospital emergency room. A police officer working a security detail at Archbold recognized Clark, the investigator said.

“We let the emergency room staff treat him, and he was taken into custody without incident,” Watkins said.

The suspect is one of eight Thomasville people charged in the April burglary and was one of two at-large suspects in the case.

Zamarrien Lovejoy, 17, 5327 E. Railroad St., Ochlocknee, remains at large.

A Superior Court judge ruled last week Clark’s name could be released because of the suspect’s extensive juvenile criminal history. Watkins said Clark was on probation for a firearm theft conviction when he was arrested.

Clark is being detained at a state juvenile detention facility in Waycross.

“We will be gathering other evidence to present to the district attorney’s office and a grand jury,” Watkins said, adding that law enforcement will ask that Clark be prosecuted as an adult.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) contacted the sheriff’s office the day of the burglary when it was learned several burglary suspects lived in Thomas County. Thomasville Police Department joined the investigation when it was discovered the suspects lived in Thomasville.

A task force made up of the sheriff’s office, Thomasville and Tallahassee police, ATF and the U.S. Marshals Service began a investigation that identified nine Thomasville suspects, ages 14 to 22.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820.