A suspect has been arrested in connection with a deadly shooting that took place last month in Charleston, West Virginia. Joshua Robert Scales, 33, from Hyattsville, Maryland, was taken into custody on Thursday following a first-degree murder warrant issued by the Charleston Police Department. Scales is suspected of killing Ethan Samule Chic-Colbert on January 26 in the 400 block of Elizabeth Street.
Details of the Fatal Shooting
Authorities say that on January 26, Chic-Colbert was found shot multiple times while seated in the driver’s seat of a car parked in a parking lot on Elizabeth Street. Investigators obtained video footage from the scene, which showed a maroon Hyundai Sonata with front-end damage, a handicap placard hanging from the rearview mirror, and a driver dressed in a black hoodie, pants, mask, and white shoes. The video depicted the suspect approaching the victim’s vehicle, pulling out a handgun, and firing approximately 15 rounds into the car, several of which struck Chic-Colbert from behind. The shooter then fled the scene in the Sonata.
Investigation and Arrest
Further investigation revealed that the maroon Hyundai Sonata had been stolen from the Kanawha City area of Charleston. On January 29, police located the vehicle behind apartments in the 4900 block of Washington Avenue Southeast. Gunshot residue was discovered on the car’s steering wheel and gearshift, linking the car to the crime scene. Additionally, three scratch-off lottery tickets were found inside the vehicle. Detectives were able to trace these tickets back to a woman who had connections to individuals who sold the stolen car to the suspect.
Based on this evidence, authorities identified Joshua Robert Scales as the suspect and arrested him on Thursday. Scales is currently being held without bond at the South Central Regional Jail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 3 at 1:45 p.m.
This tragic shooting was the first homicide of 2025 in Charleston. Police continue to investigate the case and are asking anyone with additional information to come forward.
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