A fight that started inside a Kroger in Henry County spilled outside and turned fatal when one teenager shot another Friday evening, police said.
Officers were called to the Fairview Road store about 8 p.m. about a person shot. The investigation revealed that some sort of altercation took place inside and continued in the parking lot, according to authorities.
At some point, police said guns were pulled and 18-year-old Na’Keem Omar Hargrove was shot and killed. Police did not say if Hargrove shot at anyone.
Omarion Thomas, 18, was arrested and booked into the Henry County Jail. He faces charges of murder.
The shooting caused damage to several storefronts in the shopping center, including broken glass, bullet holes and debris. According to Channel 2 Action News, nearly 50 shell casings were found scattered around the parking lot.
No details were released about what led to the incident.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
On Saturday night, Hargrove’s family gathered in the parking lot for a candlelight vigil to honor his memory and to plead for the gun violence to stop.
“All I can say is I’m heartbroken,” his mother, Latange Smith, told Channel 2 Action News.
“I’m numb. In disbelief. I’m mad. I’m angry!” his aunt, Angela Cooley, said through tears.
Just months earlier, she recalled shedding happy tears when Hargrove graduated from DeKalb County’s Martin Luther King Jr. High School. He’d been studying to take his real estate exam.
“Na’Keem was somebody that didn’t mess with nobody,” his sister, Nikirah Kennedy, said. “Na’Keem was always happy. You would never see Na’Keem mad.”
The family told the news station they did not know the teen accused of killing Hargrove and they have no idea why such an irreversible action would be taken against their loved one.
“You are hurting not one person, you’re hurting families — you’re even hurting your own family. Stop! Can’t we just get along?” she said.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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