A security guard, who used to be a police officer until he was fired for using excessive force, faces a murder charge after being accused of fatally shooting a man in Macon.
Donavon E. Scott-Sinclair, 24, of Fort Valley, was arrested in the Wednesday night shooting death of 25-year-old Devontae Tennyson, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said.
Tennyson and several security guards at Midtown Daiquiri Bar & Grill off Log Cabin Drive got into an argument in the restaurant’s parking lot, leading to gunfire, authorities said. Tennyson died a short time later at a Macon hospital.
Scott-Sinclair was among the security guards, and he was arrested the next day.
Tennyson, who was armed with an AR-15 rifle at the time of the shooting, was identified as a 911 dispatcher by the Macon Telegraph. The newspaper also reported that the sheriff's office has retracted its initial statement that gunfire was exchanged, since investigators don't believe Tennyson ever fired his weapon.
The sheriff’s office also said there is no indication that Tennyson ever brandished his weapon in a threatening manner during the encounter.
Scott-Sinclair began working as a security guard after his short-lived career in law enforcement. He joined Fort Valley police in January 2018, but he was fired 10 months later due to “repeated errors in excessive use of force,” according to Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council records.
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According to the Telegraph, he failed to activate his dash camera and body camera before a foot chase and altercation with a suspect in August 2018.
About two months later, he hit a suspect on the head with his service weapon following another foot chase, the newspaper reported. He again failed to activate his dash camera and body camera during the incident.
Since his termination, he briefly worked at two nearby police departments in Montezuma and Marshallville, POST records show. However, he voluntarily resigned from both departments within months.
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Credit: Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council
Credit: Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council
His certification was placed on probation for two years starting on October 2019. His POST file says he’s required to attend courses on use-of-force, arrest procedure and deescalation options for gaining compliance. He’s since completed the courses, according to records.
Scott-Sinclair’s father is a Bibb County Sheriff’s deputy, the Telegraph reported. As a result, Scott-Sinclair is being held in the Jones County jail without bond.
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The fatal shooting remains under investigation, and anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 478-751-7500 or Macon Regional CrimeStoppers at 1-877-682-7463.
— AJC data specialist Jennifer Peebles contributed to this article.
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