PANAMA CITY, FL – A verbal altercation that spilled over into a nightclub parking lot ended with “warning shots” being fired and two arrested on separate gun charges.
The Panama City Police Department responded to a nightclub in the 1600 block of W. 15th Street late Tuesday evening due to reports of gunfire. Patrol officers, detectives and members of the department’s Street Crimes Unit investigated and discovered multiple shell casings in the front parking lot of the business.
Through their investigation, detectives learned that 37-year-old Jerry Lee Peace and 33-year-old Valerie Laney were engaged in a verbal altercation near Peace’s vehicle. During that altercation, Peace armed himself with a firearm from his vehicle. Laney retreated to her vehicle, located on the opposite side of the parking lot, armed herself with a firearm and discharged the weapon multiple times into the air.
Detectives located Peace inside the nightclub while Laney had fled the area. During their investigation, officers discovered a 9mm firearm located in the passenger seat of Peace’s vehicle. Peace was detained at that time.
A BOLO was issued for Laney and a short time later, deputies with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office stopped her vehicle and detained Laney. During a probable cause search of her vehicle, officers found a holster, 9mm ammunition, three magazines and a small amount of marijuana.
Peace was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm. Laney was charged with aggravated assault and discharging a firearm in public. Both were transported to the Bay County Jail. The Panama City Police Department would like to thank the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this case.