Investigators believe a fight on social media led to a shootout Saturday afternoon, killing two teenagers and leaving three other youths injured, Atlanta police said.
A little after 5 p.m., officers were called to the Retreat at Greenbriar apartment complex at 3000 Continental Colony Parkway in southwest Atlanta, Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said late Saturday. At the complex, investigators found both a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy dead, he said.
They were identified Sunday by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office as Malik Malik Grover and Justin Powell, respectively.
“We know that there was some type of social media dispute that escalated to gunfire,” Hampton said. “One group of individuals came to the apartment with their guns and then the other group fired their weapons. Both parties fired their weapons.”
Multiple shots were fired inside an apartment and outside, Hampton said. Three others were also injured, including a 15-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy, he said. The extent of their injuries was not known late Saturday, but one of the three appeared to have been grazed, Hampton said.
At least two of those involved in the shooting were Atlanta Public Schools students, according to police. The investigation continued late Saturday.
The deadly shooting happened just three weeks after a shooting on the 17th Street bridge in Midtown killed 12-year-old Zyion Charles and 15-year-old boy Cameron Jackson. Investigators have said a group of teens and juveniles were asked to leave Atlanta Station for violating curfew and unruly behavior.
Moments later, shots were fired on the nearby bridge. Investigators have charged three teenagers with murder in that case.
“As I said several weeks ago, this should be a time that we’re getting ready for the holidays,” Hampton said Saturday night. “But we’ll have at least two families that will be planning for funerals.”
After the Midtown shooting, Mayor Andre Dickens joined police leaders in asking parents to know their children’s whereabouts.
“I hate being here talking about kids and gunfire,” Hampton said. “We just ask parents to know where your kids are, know what they’re doing. Check rooms. There’s just too many guns in the hands of our youth.”
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to submit a tip to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line by calling 404-577-TIPS (8477), visiting www.crimestoppersatlanta.org or texting CSA and the tip to CRIMES (274637). Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
