Self-Defense Ruling, Gun Charges: 2 Men Arrested in Spanish Fort Bowling Alley Shooting

SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Two Mobile County men have been arrested in connection with the Spanish Fort bowling alley shooting outside Eastern Shore Lanes earlier this month, and police say one of them fired in self-defense but was illegally carrying a gun while awaiting trial on assault charges.

Spanish Fort police identified the men as Gregory Debosh McDonald, 22, of Semmes, and Jamarcus Lawarren Grayson, 24, whose hometown has been listed as both Mobile and Prichard. According to the Spanish Fort Police Department, the two fought inside the bowling alley at 10460 Eastern Shore Blvd. on Saturday, Oct. 3, before the confrontation moved to the parking lot, where shots were fired and McDonald was wounded.

Grayson was arrested Oct. 14 by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office on a charge of being a certain person forbidden to carry a firearm and is being held without bond, police said. McDonald was arrested Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Spanish Fort police headquarters on charges of shooting into unoccupied vehicles, reckless endangerment and a probation violation.

The charges are accusations, and both men are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in court.

What Police Say Happened at Eastern Shore Lanes

South AL News first reported the shooting in the days after it happened late on the night of Oct. 3. At the time, police said two people who knew each other had fought inside the business, that gunfire was exchanged in the parking lot, and that one man was struck once and taken to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Police said then that they knew who the other person was, but no names or charges had been released.

The department’s newly released findings fill in many of those gaps. According to police:

• McDonald and Grayson got into a physical altercation inside the bowling alley.
• During the fight, a pistol Grayson was carrying fell to the ground. Grayson picked the weapon up and ran out to the parking lot.
• McDonald retrieved his own pistol, followed Grayson outside and fired numerous rounds at him. The shots struck two uninvolved, unoccupied vehicles.
• Grayson returned fire and hit McDonald once.
• Grayson left the scene before officers arrived.

Police have not said what started the fight inside the bowling alley. Officers were called to the business at about 11:45 p.m. after witnesses reported the two men fighting inside. Police have since said that both men left before officers arrived and that McDonald’s gunshot wound was minor. No one other than McDonald was reported hurt.

Police noted that both men had prior criminal records. Grayson and McDonald are considered innocent until proven guilty.

Self-Defense, but Still Charged

One of the more unusual aspects of the case is how investigators assessed Grayson’s role. Police said their investigation found that Grayson’s actions in returning fire “rise to the level of self-defense.” He is not charged with shooting McDonald.

However, police said Grayson entered the bowling alley armed with a pistol while he was under indictment and awaiting trial on two counts of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree assault from a separate, earlier case. Under Alabama law, that status bars him from carrying a firearm, according to police.

A warrant was signed charging Grayson with being a certain person forbidden to carry a weapon, and Mobile County Sheriff’s deputies arrested him on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Police said Grayson had another pistol in his possession at the time of that arrest, which led to a second count of the same charge. He is being held without bond.

The details of Grayson’s earlier assault case, including when and where it occurred, were not included in the police department’s announcement.

Charges Against Gregory McDonald

McDonald, the man who was struck by gunfire, faces charges tied to the shots he is accused of firing in the parking lot. Police said he was arrested Oct. 21 at the Spanish Fort Police Department and charged with:

• Two counts of shooting into unoccupied vehicles
• Reckless endangerment
• A violation of probation, on a warrant out of Mobile County

Police have not said what McDonald was on probation for. Information about his bond status was not included in the department’s announcement.

Chief Barber Points to Change in Alabama Gun Law

Spanish Fort Police Chief John Barber credited a recent change in state law with making the charges against Grayson possible.

“I am thankful the state legislature passed an amendment to the Certain Persons Forbidden Law that went into effect October 1, 2025, to include prohibiting individuals awaiting trial for violent offenses from carrying a weapon,” Barber said. “We see all too often, as they await trial, some individuals continue to engage in violent behavior, putting more lives at risk. This is a great tool for law enforcement to keep our communities safer.”

Alabama’s certain persons forbidden law has long barred people with certain backgrounds, including those convicted of violent crimes, from owning or carrying firearms. As Barber described it, the amendment that took effect Oct. 1, 2025, extended that prohibition to people who are awaiting trial on violent offenses, even though they have not been convicted. That is the provision police say applies to Grayson, who was under indictment on assault charges at the time of the bowling alley fight.

Barber also had a pointed message about the shooting itself, which happened at a busy entertainment venue on a Saturday night.

“You bring senseless gun violence to our side of the bay, and we use the long arm of the law to put you in jail!” Barber said. “You cannot engage in a shootout at an entertainment venue in our city and not expect to see handcuffs in your future.”

The chief thanked the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, which he referred to as “TEAM SHERIFF,” and the Mobile Police Department for their help in apprehending both men. Both suspects live across the bay in Mobile County, Grayson in Mobile and McDonald in Semmes.

Timeline of the Case

• Saturday, Oct. 3: McDonald and Grayson fight inside Eastern Shore Lanes late at night. Shots are exchanged in the parking lot; McDonald is struck once and two parked vehicles are hit. Grayson leaves before officers arrive.
• Days after the shooting: Spanish Fort police say they know the identity of the person who left and continue to investigate.
• Wednesday, Oct. 14: Mobile County Sheriff’s deputies arrest Grayson on a warrant charging him as a certain person forbidden to carry a weapon. A second pistol found during the arrest leads to a second count. He is held without bond.
• Wednesday, Oct. 21: McDonald is arrested at Spanish Fort police headquarters on two counts of shooting into unoccupied vehicles, reckless endangerment and a probation violation warrant.

What Happens Next in the Court Process

Both men are entitled to a defense, and the facts described by police have not been tested in court. In Alabama, people charged with felonies generally make an initial appearance before a judge, may request a preliminary hearing at which a judge decides whether there is probable cause for the case to proceed, and can have their cases presented to a grand jury, which decides whether to return an indictment. Misdemeanor charges are typically handled in district or municipal court.

Because McDonald’s probation violation warrant comes from Mobile County, that matter is expected to be handled separately from the new Spanish Fort charges. Grayson’s earlier assault case, in which he was already under indictment, also remains pending, according to police.

Court dates for either man had not been announced.

About Spanish Fort and Eastern Shore Lanes

Spanish Fort is a Baldwin County city on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, neighboring Daphne. Eastern Shore Lanes, a bowling and entertainment center, is located at 10460 Eastern Shore Blvd.

The business is a family-friendly venue that offers bowling lanes, an arcade, billiards, laser tag and other attractions. About two weeks before the shooting, the City of Spanish Fort spotlighted Eastern Shore Lanes and celebrated its recent expansion.

In that feature, the city described the business as having “deep family roots.” Owners Sonya and Butch Cole carry on a tradition that began in 1959, when Butch Cole’s parents opened their first bowling alley. After decades in the family business, the couple opened their own first location in Foley in 2008 and brought the concept to Spanish Fort in 2012, according to the city.

Nothing in the police account suggests the business or its staff were involved in the dispute between the two men.

Anyone with additional information about the shooting can contact the Spanish Fort Police Department. In an emergency, always call 911.