PRINCETON, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A Bluefield man was arrested Thursday afternoon after allegedly firing multiple rounds into a vehicle carrying four teenagers and an infant near the Mercer Mall, according to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were dispatched around 3:38 p.m. on October 16, 2025, to the area of Mercer Mall Road and Bulltail Hollow Road following reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found a vehicle riddled with six bullet holes on the driver’s side and a flat front tire.
Inside the car were five minor occupants — four teens and a baby — who miraculously escaped injury.
Witnesses identified the shooter as Christopher Tyler East, who was seen driving a black Chevrolet Camaro. Investigators say the shooting stemmed from a confrontation that began near the Mercer Mall.
According to statements from the driver and a passenger, East followed their vehicle before stopping near the intersection, exiting his car, and engaging in a brief verbal exchange. As the victims attempted to drive away, East allegedly opened fire, striking the vehicle six times.
Two bullets entered the passenger compartment — one hitting below the infant’s seat, and another striking the steering wheel near the driver.
Deputies later recovered four 9mm shell casings at the scene, along with a bullet lodged in the front tire and a fragment inside the door seal.
Investigators said the victims described the weapon as a tan or camouflage-colored FN 509 handgun with an extended magazine and flashlight — a description that matched the firearm later recovered from East’s vehicle.
Captain W.E. Rose and Captain S.A. Sommers located East at a residence near Bluefield, where he was taken into custody without incident.
East faces multiple charges in connection with the shooting. The investigation is ongoing under the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office.
