No arrests were made after the shootings that followed a DeKalb County funeral because investigators say the two gunmen shot and killed each other.
While it's not clear what led to a fight that ended in deadly gunfire Thursday at Victory for the World Church near Stone Mountain, an increased police presence is expected when funerals are held for the latest two killed, the county's public safety director said Friday.
Investigators believe that as a funeral ended around 2:30 p.m. Thursday for 19-year-old homicide victim Ryan Devon Guider, words were exchanged, and a fight started.
One of Guider's friends, 19-year-old Carlos Henderson Jr., was ambushed, William Miller, DeKalb public safety director, told reporters Friday.
"The group assaulted him. He managed to get to his car after escaping them," Miller said. "He got a gun. He fired. Don’t know if we was trying to fire in self defense. And then someone else got a gun, shot and killed him."
The other person with a gun, identified by police as 28-year-old Delmetrius Heard, also died, Miller said. Investigators said they believe Henderson, who would have turned 20 later this month, and Heard killed each other.
"Both died as the result of gunshot wounds," Miller said.
Two bystanders -- a 12-year-old girl and another man -- were wounded, but their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, police said. The names of the two were not released.
Initially, police suspected that the man accused of killing Guider, Marcus Ventress, 28, attended the funeral and was involved in the altercation that followed. But Friday, Miller said there were still active warrants for Ventress, who is on the run.
Despite previous reports from witnesses at Guider's funeral, Ventress did not attend the service, Miller said.
Police believe a robbery allegedly committed by Guider led to the string of shootings. Detectives said Ventress killed Guider last month because he thought Guilder had robbed and punched his mother. Both Ventress and Guider have criminal records.
Those at the funeral Thursday described a fight involving more than a dozen people that was followed by several gunshots, sending funeral-goers running for cover.
Chris Collier, who said she was a friend of Guider's mother, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday that she thought she was going to die.
Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to contact DeKalb County police.
About the Author
