Lynchburg man pleads to shooting, theft charges

A Lynchburg man pleaded no contest Friday to charges he shot an Amherst County man in the face March 25 after robbing him.

Vincent Gilbert, 24, was charged with robbery, aggravated malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

The victim, 34-year-old John Alexander, ended up driving himself to the police station from Gilbert’s home near the intersection of 8th and Floyd streets after being shot in the face with a .357 Magnum, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Chuck Felmlee told Lynchburg Circuit Court Judge Leyburn Mosby

Matt Beyrau, Gilbert’s lawyer, contended in spite of the plea that Alexander tried to attack Gilbert — that his client acted in self defense.

Had the case gone to trial, Felmlee told the court, Alexander would have testified he was a crack cocaine user and that Gilbert was his supplier. Alexander, he said, drove to Gilbert’s home at the College Hill apartments on the 25th. When Gilbert got into his SUV, Felmlee said, Gilbert pulled a gun and told Alexander, “I’m tired of you playing with my money.”

At an earlier hearing, Alexander testified that Gilbert claimed he owed him money on drug debts and that he gave him $50.

While driving in a circle around the apartment complex, Felmlee said Friday, Alexander missed a turn, which made Gilbert even angrier. When they got back to the corner of 8th and Filmore streets, Felmlee said, Gilbert shot Alexander in the face, with the bullet going through his mouth and out of the windshield.

Alexander then made his way to the police station on Court Street looking for help.

“As a result of this shooting, Mr. Alexander’s mouth and face will never be the same,” the prosecutor said.

After the incident, police surrounded Gilbert’s apartment. He surrendered after nearly two hours. Investigators found a revolver that police believe was used in the shooting hidden in an air duct, Felmlee said.

Beyrau said Gilbert’s version of the event was much different.

Beyrau said Alexander was a heavy user of crack cocaine and that Alexander attacked Gilbert inside the SUV. Gilbert, he said, thought he was being robbed, so he hit Alexander with the gun, which accidentally went off.

Gilbert is jailed without bond pending his scheduled sentencing hearing Sept. 11.