Man charged in fatal 2019 shooting at apartment goes to trial

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A man charged in a shooting that killed one man at a West Ashley apartment complex is before a jury more than three years later.

Algernard Young faces related charges of domestic abuse and stalking that, based on court document timelines, appear to lead up to the murder charge he’s on trial for.

Prosecutors have been working since Monday to prove Young’s involvement in the 2019 shooting at Ashley Oaks Apartments that left David Alston dead. They have been using cell phone data, investigation documents and witness testimony to prove their case.

Young was first charged with domestic violence against his ex-wife in January of 2019. He was released after making a $100,000 bond in the same month. Later in 2019, while out on bond for the abuse charge, Young was arrested and charged with stalking his ex-wife and shooting and killing her boyfriend.

Lowcountry counselors say this is a sad case, but there are resources for people who are victims of any sort of crime. Megan Wallace is the clinical instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at MUSC.

“It’s hard to talk about prevention in these instances, but I would just say, along any spectrum of trauma, that it can be really hard to feel comfortable reaching out. Part of trauma and PTSD is this feeling of isolation, but there are a lot of people who understand and are willing to provide support in those moments for folks,” Wallace says.

MUSC specifically houses a national crime victims center.

“Many survivors that we work with, unfortunately, that’s not their only experience of some sort of trauma or victimization,” Wallace says. “And what we see is that anyone who’s experienced these life threatening or really scary events or traumatic events can absolutely have impacts on their emotional well-being. It also can impact the way that they act or behave. There’s kind of widespread impacts.”

Young has been in jail since his arrest for murder charges in November of 2019. He was arrested one day after the shooting.

Since then, he has made multiple motions for bond on his murder and stalking charges. Every time the request was denied.

Young is attending his trial and sitting with his lawyers dressed in a button-down shirt and slacks. He is not shackled in the courtroom and the judge reminded the jury he is presumed innocent until proven guilty and does not have to testify on his own behalf.

“There are people who are out there ready to listen, ready to sit with you through this process, you know, may or may not be able to fix everything that’s going on, but they’ll walk the journey with you and that you don’t have to be alone during these processes or during these events in your life,” Wallace says.

The center offers a Survivors of Homicide Support Group for those affected by violent loss. You can contact the group by phone at 843-792-8209 or by email at shsg@musc.edu.

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