2 Teenagers Are Killed at Ga. Sweet 16 Party in Shooting that Also Injured 7

Samuel Moon, Aj’anaye Hill.Photo: Facebook; Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

A Sweet 16 party in Georgia ended in tragedy earlier this month when shots rang out as guests were leaving, killing two teens and injuring seven others, say police.

More than 100 partygoers were gathered at a house on Sitka Drive in Douglasville on Saturday, March 4, at 10:41 p.m., when gunfire erupted, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Samuel Moon, 15, and AJ’anaye (AJ) Hill, 14, were killed, according to the DCSO.

Seven other teens, ranging in age from 14 to 19, were wounded.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Douglas County Sheriff Tim Pounds said three suspects had been arrested in connection with the “mass shooting/homicide.”

He identified the suspects as 18-year-old Timothy Lamar Coleman Jr., and 17-year-old twins, Chase Terrence McDowell and Chance Terrell McDowell.

Timothy Lamar Coleman Jr., Chase Terrence McDowell, Chance Terrell McDowell.Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (3)

Each of the suspects is charged with two counts of mass murder, nine counts of aggravated assault and seven counts of aggravated battery.

Other charges are pending, he said.

He did not identify which gangs were involved, saying he didn’t want to give them any “air time” or “dress them up.”

Later that day, a fourth suspect, Kingston Cottman, 17, was arrested,Fox 5 Atlantareports.

He faces the same charges as the others.

This case is still active and more arrests are pending, he said.

Pounds was asked why it was important for him to show a video of him and his deputies leading the suspects into the sheriff’s office after their arrests.

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“Simply because I told my community and the public that I was going to catch these guys who committed this terrible crime in my county,” he replied. “I worked along with my investigators doing exactly that. I was there during the take-down part.”

As police continue to investigate, the families of the teens who died are mourning their losses.

She said her daughter was at the party when an “uninvited guest became belligerent and starting fighting. Shots were fired and Ajanaye was struck in the back of the head as she was running away.”

The mother wrote that AJ was “a beautiful, vibrant, 14-year-old African American female” who was a freshman at Douglas County High School. AJ loved to dance, sing, create TikToks and spent time with friends and family.

“She had aspirations of becoming an attorney,” her mother wrote.

It is unclear whether the suspects entered pleas or whether they have retained attorneys who can speak for them.

source: people.com