TYLER (KYTX) - The arrest affidavit for the man accused in the shooting death of former Chapel Hill athlete Chris Mass reveals new details into how events unfolded the day of the shooting.
In the arrest affidavits, Ricky Neal Jr., 25, of Henderson, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mass and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for reportedly shooting at 29-year-old Jonathon Lamone Dews of Tyler.
Neal told Tyler PD that he went to the mall at around 9 a.m. Saturday, February 9 for the release of the new Air Jordan shoe. He explained that while talking to a friend in the area of Chick-Fil-A, he ended up in an argument with Dews about some messages sent over the social media site known as Twitter.
He further explained that Dews wanted to fight with him but he declined and left the mall. He noted that while exiting the mall he saw Mass standing near Champs.
Once outside the mall, Neal said he went to his girlfriend's car and asked if she would go pay for the shoes since some guys were inside "trippin."
At this point, Neal said he noticed Mass standing directly beside his girlfriend's car next to a green Buick and noted he also saw Dews standing approximately 6 feet away from him.
According to Neal, after seeing Mass open the door to the Buick and put a sweatshirt in it, he retrieved his .40 caliber semi-automatic Smith & Wesson hand gun.
He suspected that Mass had a weapon also despite not seeing either Mass or Dews with one.
After an exchange of words with both Dews and Mass, Neal said he shot Mass twice and then shot at Dews as he ran, missing him.
A tragedy fund has been set up for Chris Mass at Cooperative Teachers Credit Union in Tyler.
Click here to read Ricky Neal Jr.'s full affadavit.
