On 09/15/2022 at approximately 3:00 p.m., Opelika Dispatch received calls regarding a juvenile who had been shot in the area of Chester Avenue and Easy Street. Upon arrival, officers located a 17-year-old male suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, GA, where he remains in critical condition.
Prior to officers’ arrival, the suspects had fled the scene. Opelika Police Detectives began an investigation which led to the arrests of two individuals in Columbus, GA on 09/16/2022. Twenty-year-old Eric Stenson Jr. from Auburn, AL, and a 16-year-old juvenile have been charged with attempted murder of the 17-year-old victim. Both subjects will be extradited back to Opelika, AL and placed in the Lee County Jail. The case remains under investigation and additional charges are pending.
The Opelika Police Department would like to thank the citizens that helped with the investigation, along with the Columbus Police Department and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in locating these fugitives.
If you have any information on this incident, please contact the Opelika Police Department Detective Division at (334) 705-5220 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665. Tips can be submitted through our Opelika Police Mobile App. You may wish to remain anonymous.