Court testimony Wednesday revealed what led to a deadly shooting outside a crowded Gwinnett County Walmart.
Fadil Delkic, 49, of Lawrenceville, was fatally shot about 6 p.m. Aug. 19 in the parking lot of the Walmart on Scenic Highway in Snellville. Troy Dennis Hunte, 27, of Grayson, was charged with felony murder and other offenses in connection with the incident.
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In court, Snellville police Lt. J.M. McKinney testified Delkic’s car was in a crosswalk as Hunte’s girlfriend, Patricia Austin, was attempting to cross. She was pushing a baby in a stroller at the time.
“She was apparently angry at him for being in the crosswalk,” McKinney said.
McKinney testified Delkic didn’t understand what the problem was, got out of his car and approached Austin.
Austin slapped Delkic in the face and Hunte shot him in the chest, according to authorities. The incident was captured on the store’s surveillance system.
Delkic, a Bosnian refugee who survived prison during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, was pronounced dead at Gwinnett Medical Center.
Hunte’s attorney said Delkic got out of his car to fight, not to gain a better understanding of the situation. Hunte, the attorney said in court, was just protecting his girlfriend.
However, a judge found probable cause to move the case against Hunte forward, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Police initially charged him with voluntary manslaughter, claiming he was provoked.
MORE: Shooter was provoked in deadly Walmart parking lot argument, police say
That was upgraded to murder after a review of store surveillance footage, Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said in an interview with Channel 2. Hunte also faces aggravated assault and possession a firearm during a felony charges.
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“You can see in the video she approaches the vehicle, he steps out of the car and pretty quickly she hits him ... and then within seconds the victim is shot,” Porter said. “You can see in the video (Hunte) was on the phone and actually reached into his pocket, pulled the gun out and shot the victim.”
Porter said Austin could face charges, too.
Donations to a GoFundMe fundraising page set up for Delkic's family have exceeded the initial $10,000 goal. More than $39,000 has been raised as of Thursday morning.
