Investigation continues into Saturday shooting at Lily veterans club

Laurel County Sheriff’s deputies will be taking the results of an investigation of a shooting at a veterans club in Lily to the grand jury.

Deputy Gilbert Acciardo said the grand jury will determine whether criminal charges are warranted against William Helton of Corbin. Helton allegedly shot Donnie Mabe during a scuffle in the parking lot of the club on U.S. 25 Saturday morning.

Deputies were called to investigate after Mabe walked into the ER at Baptist Health Corbin suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, arms and left thigh.

Mabe had allegedly been involved in an ongoing dispute with Helton that continued outside the club.

At some point, Helton produced a pistol, which Acciardo described as a Derringer, and fired once.

“It was loaded with three balls and buckshot,” Acciardo said of the pistol.

Mabe was abled to make it to his vehicle and drove to the hospital where he walked inside for treatment.

He was later transferred to The University of Kentucky Medical Center.

UK officials were unable to give an update on Mabe’s condition.

Acciardo said Helton called Laurel dispatch and reported that he thought he had shot someone during a scuffle in the parking lot at AMVETS.

Detective Gary Mehler is continuing the investigation.

“We have conflicting accounts of what happened,” Acciardo said.

Acciardo said that despite the rumors, deputies very rarely receive complaints about the club.

“We haven’t really had any problems that I’m aware of,” Acciardo said explaining that as part of his job he sees every arrest citation.

“I don’t know of any DUI crashes we have worked where the individual said they had been drinking at AMVETS,” he said.