By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Two 18-year-old men are being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $90,000 after they were arrested and charged with shooting a woman at a Montevallo apartment complex on Jan. 20.

The Montevallo Police Deparmtent arrested Maylene resident Terry Christopher Searcy and Alabaster resident Kevin Valladares Gutierrez on Jan. 22 and charged them each with felony counts of first-degree assault and first-degree robbery.

The two suspects were charged in connection with the Jan. 20 shooting of Lauren George, a Helena native who suffered a single gunshot wound to the head during an incident at the Falcon Manor Apartments in the 200 block of Overland Road.

A news release the Montevallo Police Department issued on Jan. 21 stated George was “seriously injured” when they arrived on the scene. George was then transported by ambulance to an area hospital, where she is being treated.

“According to witness statements the shooting stemmed from an argument between the resident of the apartment and the suspects,” read an email from Montevallo Police Chief Jeremy Littleton. “Unfortunately, this incident resulted in the serious injury of a young lady and was a tragedy for our community. Our prayers go out to the victim and her family and we hope she fully recovers from her injuries.

“I want to thank the community and surrounding agencies for their help and commend our police department personnel for a job well done to help bring closure to this case,” Littleton wrote.

According to Alabama law, first-degree robbery is a Class A felony and first-degree assault is a Class B felony. If convicted, the suspects could face up to 20 years in prison for the assault charge and between 10 and 99 years in prison for the robbery charge.