
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, January 24, 1994                   TAG: 9401240088
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

2 ARRESTED IN FERRUM GUNSHOT INCIDENT

A Ferrum College student and a Bassett man have been arrested after shots were fired on Ferrum's campus early Saturday morning.

Sean E. Conyers, 21, was arrested Saturday night and Tiwan M. Billard, 18, was arrested Sunday night, Lt. Ewell Hunt of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office said.

Hunt said the sheriff's office was asked to help Ferrum College security officials investigate the 2 a.m. shooting. Ferrum security officers could not be reached for comment Sunday night.

Hunt said an argument on Ferrum's campus escalated into random gunshots. He said no one was injured.

A witness called college security with a description of a vehicle. Minutes later, a car was stopped in town by Ferrum police.

Police found and confiscated weapons from the car, including a small-caliber rifle believed to be involved in the shooting, Hunt said. Police questioned the passengers and released them.

The investigation led to the arrest of Conyers, then Billard, Hunt said. Conyers, a student at Ferrum College, was charged with shooting at an occupied vehicle and assault and battery. Billard, of Bassett, was charged with shooting at an occupied building.

Both were charged with destroying public property and both have been released on bail.

A third warrant, for carrying a concealed weapon, is out for another suspect, Hunt said.

by CNB