Investigation ongoing after deadly shooting in Savannah

SAVANNAH, Tenn. — The victim in a Monday shooting in Savannah has died, and investigators are treating it as a homicide.

“At the time yesterday, our victim was in critical condition, and subsequently last night he did pass away, so at this point right now we are treating this as a homicide,” Savannah Police Chief Michael Pitts said.

Savannah police were called to the area of Ryan Street just before 4 p.m. Monday after receiving a report of shots being fired.

“I heard it and I thought it was fireworks,” said Janice Burns, a neighbor in the area. “I didn’t know what it was. So when I came outside and looked around everything and didn’t see nothing, and so I just hate all this happened.”

“We were also dispatched to Hardin Medical Center in reference to a male patient who had come into the ER with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Our officers responded to that scene as well,” Chief Pitts said.

Investigators tell WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News the victim, Kelvin Zacchaeus Welch, a 22-year-old man from Selmer, died from his injuries Monday at a Nashville hospital.

According to the Savannah Police Department’s preliminary investigation, the incident possibly stemmed from an argument between Welch and others.

Chief Pitts says they have arrested three people and have also recovered a potential weapon.

“We have arrested two on outstanding criminal warrants out of another county. One was arrested for simple possession. All of those were not directly related to the incident, but they were present at the time of the incident and subsequently were arrested and charged,” Chief Pitts said.

Chief Pitts says they are examining all leads and will be presenting evidence to the district attorney’s office for possible criminal charges related to the shooting.

The investigation is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information related to the shooting is asked to contact Savannah police at (731) 925-3200.