Jared Lyon was protecting both himself and his sister when he shot and killed 17-year-old Dalton McCollough, who was armed with a baseball bat, Lyon's attorney said Friday.
Lyon was charged Wednesday with voluntary manslaughter in the May 5 shooting, which happened at Lyon's home in Locust Grove, according to Henry County police. Lyon, who is being charged as an adult, was released after posting bond.
McCollough was the boyfriend of Lyon’s older sister, according to investigators, and the older teens were in an argument before the shooting. Both Lyon and and his sister have said Lyon shot McCollough in self defense, attorney Christopher Chapman said in an emailed statement.
“Following a loud altercation with the juvenile’s sister, Dalton McCullough grabbed the juvenile’s sister in an aggressive manner,” Chapman said. “After being told to leave the property several times, Dalton armed himself with a baseball bat and was in the process of attacking the juvenile and attempting to enter the family home, through the garage, when he was shot.”
McCollough was lying face down in the garage when officers arrived at the home and was declared dead, according to police.
“Dalton McCullough has a history of violent behavior and has made threats to our client in the past,” Chapman said. “We are confident that when the full picture of this incident is seen, that it will be a case of self-defense and that our client was justified in his actions.”
McCollough was a junior at Hampton High School, where Lyon and his sister also attend.
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