Witness: DeKalb teen shot dead by masked men for his backpack

Jamarcus Akeem White, 17, and Destin Robinson, 19, are accused of murder in the death of 18-year-old Jalen Flournoy near Decatur, police said.

Jamarcus Akeem White, 17, and Destin Robinson, 19, are accused of murder in the death of 18-year-old Jalen Flournoy near Decatur, police said.

Confronted by armed masked men, 18-year-old Jalen Flournoy declined to comply. They wanted his backpack. He said no and was shot in the chest in return, according to a witness’ account.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday its fugitive unit had arrested Jamarcus Akeem White, 17, and Destin Robinson, 19, on murder charges in the Feb. 11 killing.

The shooting happened around 2:40 p.m. at Eastwyck Apartments off Candler Road.

The witness told police he and the victim were smoking marijuana when three or four men in black masks approached. A 5-year-old boy ran away when he saw the men, including one carrying a gun, according to a police report.

The assailants took the backpack after the shooting and fled.

Flournoy was still alive when officers arrived. One tried to perform CPR before the teen was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, the report said.

It wasn’t immediately clear Tuesday if the suspects knew Flournoy or if other suspects could face charges in his death.

According to jail records, Robinson lives on Eastwyck Circle, the same road as the apartments. White’s address is on Bouldercrest Road in Atlanta.

Authorities haven’t said what, if anything, of value was in the bag. Asked Tuesday, Maj. Stephen Fore of the police department said he wouldn’t assume it contained anything of particular value.

The police report estimates the backpack was worth $10.

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