Savannah man involved in City Market shooting sentenced to federal prison for illegal gun possession – The Georgia Virtue

Joshua Bowser, 29, of Savannah, was sentenced to 125 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, said Jill E. Steinberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Chief U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Bowser to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Joshua Bowser demonstrated blatant disregard for the safety of hundreds of residents and visitors to the popular Savannah Market, injuring two people while indiscriminately firing multiple shots into the crowd,” the U.S. Attorney said Steinberg. “Together with our law enforcement partners in Savannah, we will continue our work to hold accountable those who illegally possess firearms and threaten the safety of our communities.”

As described in court documents and testimony, Bowser and another man were involved in a brief altercation shortly before 2 a.m. on Nov. 6, 2022, at the Savannah Municipal Market near Jefferson and West St. Julian streets, when the other man punched Bowser and then backed away. As the unarmed man turned to walk away from Bowser, Bowser pulled a 9mm semi-automatic firearm from his waistband and fired at least six to eight times as the man fled.

Bullets struck the fleeing man and a female bystander, both of whom were taken to hospital and treated for their gunshot wounds. Both victims survived. Later that day, Savannah police officers located Bowser and arrested him on a state warrant. Bowser pleaded guilty to the federal charge in February.

At sentencing, Chief Justice Baker agreed with the government's request to increase Bowser's sentence for the firearms charge because his conduct constituted attempted murder and his actions caused serious bodily injury.

“Joshua Bowser is a very violent individual who has absolutely no concern for the lives of others. This sentence represents the severity of his crime,” said Beau Kolodka, assistant special agent in charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “This sentence also ensures that Bowser won't be able to harm or terrorize anyone else for a very long time.”

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by U.S. Attorney Special Assistant for the Southern District of Georgia, Makeia R. Jonese.