SAVANNAH, Ga. () – The search continues for Keon Sanders, 20, the suspect in a deadly shooting on Fernwood Dr. on April 7.

has learned that Sanders was out on bond when the crime was committed for misdemeanor charges, and talked to Chatham County Sheriff Richard Coleman about his bond policy as it pertains to misdemeanors.

“Concerning the actions of Mr. Keon Sanders, those type of acts will not be tolerated here in Chatham County. It is despicable; it is horrible; it is deplorable. It’s not good for the community. It’s not what we want to have here in town, and it is not the type of citizen we want here in Chatham County,” said the Sheriff.

“We will find you. We are looking for you now. We will get you off of these streets, into this jail where you belong,” he said.

Sanders, along with other suspects in recent high profile crimes, was out bond during the shooting for two charges: purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution, or sale of marijuana, and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Because those crimes are misdemeanors, Sanders was granted automatic bond in February 2024, a practice that has been in place since the former administration under former Sheriff John Wilcher.

“I think a lot of that had to do with the COVID era, and now that we’re post COVID era, we’re not trying to go back to a normalized operation of receiving booking and discharging, so we are housing misdemeanor crimes according to their offenses. We are allowing them to bond out,” said Sheriff Coleman.

asked Sheriff Coleman if Sanders may set a precedent that could cause the Sheriff’s Office to review and amend its bond policy.

“Absolutely,” said Coleman. “We don’t want to do anything that is going to hurt the public or hurt people in our community, so we’re very careful with our processes and our procedures.”

Sanders was incarcerated in 2023 for allegedly bringing a weapon on school property, and then in Feb. 7, 2024 for the two misdemeanors.