Frankie Worth was debating whether to cut the grass outside his home in the Dogwood Lakes neighborhood in Hampton, so he ventured over to the window at about 10:45 a.m. Saturday and started to open the blinds.
That’s when he said he heard a loud boom and saw a man, who was pointing a handgun in the air as if on recoil, in the road outside his house. The man, Worth said, aimed for another shot at the driver of a vehicle, but perhaps realized he didn’t need to because the shooter did not fire a second shot. The vehicle rolled away, slowly and aimlessly, as if the driver had lost control, he added.
Worth said the victim and suspect were his neighbors and that both lived only a couple of houses down from him. The victim, whom Worth did not identify, was struck from behind. The shooter, who was walking at the time, then continued on his rampage, Worth said.
“He was picking up pace to get to — from what everyone is saying — his next targets,” Worth said.
Henry County police have since identified Andre Longmore as a suspect in the fatal shootings of the four victims. Longmore, who drove a 2017 black GMC Acadia out of the neighborhood, remains at large. Four warrants charging him with murder were obtained, Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett said during a press conference late Saturday afternoon. The sheriff’s office is offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to Longmore’s apprehension and prosecution.
The suspect is considered armed and dangerous. Police urge residents who may see the suspect to not approach him, but instead call 911.
Officials have not released the names of the victims, three men and one woman, although a church in McDonough has asked congregants to pray for one of its congregants whom the pastor identified as a victim.
“This is a sad day in Hampton. It’s not normal for us. And as a community, we will grieve together. As a police department, we will do everything in our power to ensure that the person is brought to justice,” Hampton police Chief James Turner said.
On Saturday evening in Hampton, residents expressed shock and sadness. Don Cannon, who has owned Speakeasy Bookstore since 2012, said he immediately went into lockdown at the business as soon as word of the shooting reached him. The incident unfolded less than a mile away from the bookstore, where he and several friends were spending the morning together.
In such a small town, Cannon said you get to know everyone. Many of the city’s residents are his regulars, other are those he runs into while walking around town. Now he is anxiously waiting to hear if anyone he knew was killed in the shooting.
“We’ve made so many close friends since we moved here and we’re worried about finding out who it is because I’m sure we probably know them,” he said.
Other businesses and locals were also in lockdown for hours.
Samuel Broussard, Cannon’s son, said he has always felt as if Hampton was a town of no evil — a place where every police officer knows their residents and every neighbor knows each other. The fatal shooting shook his perception of the calm hometown he has always pictured in his mind.
“This is my community. You go out to help and protect your community and something like this happens and it shows you the illusion of control,” he said.
Credit: Hampton Police Department
Credit: Hampton Police Department
Makaylia Hines said her father told her about the shooting before her shift at the Welcome Home Creamery & Coffee store on Hampton’s Main Street. He was a little concerned, she said, and wanted to make sure she was safe.
“My father was a little worried, but I’m not that worried,” she said. “I know things like this can happen.”
Hampton Mayor Ann Tarpley said residents of the community will come together to work through the tragedy.
“We’ve lost family members, loved ones and we’re trying to heal,” she said. “We’re trying to heal in the fashion where we bring this suspect to justice, and we are deploying all resources to make sure that that happens to make sure our city is a safe city and our residents can sleep at night.
The Hampton Police Department is leading the investigation with the assistance of the county’s police department, sheriff’s office and homeland security, the GBI and several other local agencies.
Officials said Longmore was wearing a dark red shirt at the time of the shooting and is about 5-feet-10. He was last seen in the Acadia with a tag number of DHF756. That vehicle is registered to a resident in the Dogwood Lakes neighborhood.
“This is an all-hands-on-deck movement to make sure that we place Mr. Andre Longmore in custody,” Scandrett said. “Wherever you are, we will hunt you down in any hole that you may be residing in and bring you to custody.”
Anyone who comes into contact with Longmore should call 911. Anyone with details into his whereabouts or the shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, text information to 274637 or visit the Crime Stoppers website.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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