A second teenage suspect has been arrested and charged with murder related to a large brawl near downtown Atlanta in July that erupted into gunfire, injuring two teenagers and killing a third.
Kentavius Dayquan Jeffries, 19, of Atlanta, was charged with murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, Atlanta police said in a news release Monday. He was served arrest warrants at the Fulton County Jail, where he is being held on unrelated charges related to a mid-October incident.
The brawl took place just after 10 p.m. on July 3, police said. A group of nearly 50 teens was reported for fighting in the 600 block of McAfee Street before gunshots rang out.
Credit: Atlanta Police Department
Credit: Atlanta Police Department
When officers responded, dozens of the teens ran away, leaving behind three who had been hit by gunfire. Two suffered non-life-threatening injuries, but the third, 14-year-old Kaidan Barlow-Gardener, was wounded in the chest and was unresponsive when police arrived. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Later in July, investigators identified a 15-year-old suspect and charged him with murder and affray, according to police. He was taken into custody July 23 and booked into the Metro Youth Detention Center.
At the same time Atlanta police announced the 15-year-old’s arrest, they shared a video of a person of interest who was described by a police spokesman as “significantly involved in this investigation.” The video highlights the person of interest wearing black pants, a black sweatshirt, a black mask and a blue hat. Other teenagers and children can be seen crowding together, riding scooters and shooting roman candles in the street.
A third teenager was arrested at the scene after police said he was found carrying two handguns, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. He was charged with carrying handguns under the age of 18 but was not charged with any counts related to the fatal shooting.
Jeffries, who remains in the Fulton County Jail without bond, was already in custody on charges of cruelty to children felony in the third degree, possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, simple battery and aggravated assault with intent to rob.
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