-Score Atlanta
Colquitt County (Moultrie, GA) junior running back Tykerious "Grump" Jones, who was arrested on charges of murder and Criminal Intent to Commit Armed Robbery, has been suspended indefinitely by head coach Rush Propst. WCTV was first to report Jones' involvement with the killing early Thursday.
Much of the Packers team left for the 2015 National Select 7-on-7 Championships in Hoover, Ala., that started Thursday and Propst was in Alabama when the news broke. According to athlonsports.com, Propst told NationalHSFootball.com he was yet to explain the situation to the kids traveling for the event as of Thursday evening.
“First and foremost my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim,” said Propst in a statement. “Secondarily, Grump has been suspended from all football activities and we will allow for the legal process to take its course.
“I have been sick all day. From the time I heard the news I have been numb. My heart goes out to the Hester family as they grieve their loss and I don’t know what I am going to tell those kids back at the hotel about their teammate and former teammates. This is something I have never thought I would have to deal with.”
There were seven teenagers arrested with connection to the July 5 killing of 68-year-old John Hester. According to the police report, Hester was found shot outside his home in Norman Park on Georgia Highway 256 outside of Moultrie.
Adrian Robinson, 19; Derrick Phillips, 18; Brandon Wynn, 18; Christian Glover, 18; I-Key Pinkins, 18; and Ty’Cameron Hayes, 18, also were arrested with Jones, 17.
Wynn and Pinkins were senior defensive linemen on last year's state championship team.
Bahan Rich, assistant special agent in charge, told the news station that the investigators believed murder was not the intent when the crime was committed.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations says the group stole firearms and electronics from a Norman Park Home the day of the crime. That gun, they believe, was used in the shooting death of Hester.
Rich told WCTV, “The group planned on robbing Mr. Hester's son, who lives across the road. During that attempt, Mr. Hester encountered them, shots were exchanged between the two, and of course Mr. Hester was struck by one of the bullets and subsequently died.”
Agent Rich also stated that the suspects had no ties to Mr. Hester, or his son, other than living in the Norman Park Area. He also says it appears Hester was trying to protect his son.
Propst told Dallas Jackson of AthlonSports that this is "the lowest point in my coaching career since we lost Victor Hill on the field in 2002. It hurts your heart. I don’t know what the situation and the circumstances are but I trust our legal system, the investigators, and the process to get it right and right now we have to wait and pray."
Colquitt County opens the season against North Gwinnett on Aug. 22 at 5:45 p.m. in the Metro PCS Corky Kell Classic at the Georgia Dome. Jones scored seven rushing touchdowns and returned two kickoffs for TD's last season as a sophomore on a team that beat Archer in the Class AAAAAA state championship game.
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