Editor’s note: This article was originally published on March 22.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — A suspect was indicted for killing a 42-year-old in West Savannah in late February.
The Savannah Police Department (SPD) arrested Shawn Campbell Jr., 21 for murder on March 21. The indictment was handed down with the following charges:
- Felony murder
- Aggravated assault
- Two counts of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony
Detectives say Campbell shot Timothy Lewis on Feb. 23. Around 10:30 p.m. that Wednesday, officers responded to the 1200 block of New Castle Street where they found Lewis suffering from gunshot wounds.
According to SPD, Lewis was taken to Memorial Health where he died from his injuries.
In a city council workshop the following day, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson took issue with the time it took for EMS to show up to the scene.
Johnson claimed Georgia State Patrol troopers and Savannah fire and police personnel arrived on the scene in minutes and rendered CPR, but: “For whatever reason, it was well over 20 minutes before EMS showed up. Twenty minutes.”
“And I understand there might be other things going on, but in this case, Mr. City Manager, we had somebody who was critically wounded,” the mayor said, “and in those cases, from personal experience, I will tell you that CPR doesn’t work. You need transport.”
But a spokesperson for Chatham Emergency Services argued that dispatch reports indicate the mayor’s allegations are false.
They said a paramedic arrived on the scene in under seven minutes without an ambulance and began to work on the patient. An ambulance apparently arrived nine minutes after the paramedic.
The spokesperson said the responding paramedic performed heroically as she was met with a hostile crowd in an extremely dangerous situation.
Editor’s note: This story, originally published Feb. 24, was republished March 22 with new information.
