16-year-old J’mauri Smarr and 14-year-old Jeremiah Carter were killed in a shooting in South Fulton in a residential neighborhood this week.
Leaders in South Fulton on Thursday addressed the shooting deaths of two teenagers this week, explaining that the investigation is active and ongoing and that there are a number of leads described as “significant.”
A reward of $10,000 that can lead to an arrest and indictment in the case is being offered.
Mayor Carmalitha Gumbs and Interim Public Safety Director Cedric Alexander spoke to reporters at a news conference, with Alexander in particular discouraging what he called rumors and innuendos that have spread on social media about the case.
The two teenagers were sH๏τ in a vehicle along Fortune Point in a residential neighborhood on Tuesday night, around 8:30 p.m. They’ve been identified as 16-year-old J’mauri Smarr and 14-year-old Jeremiah Carter, both Banneker High students.
A suspect has not been publicly identified, but Director Alexander said there were “several leads” that are “very promising” in that regard.
He did say the shooting may have “stemmed from a prior dispute, “though they are still working out the precise details on that background.”
“If you have any information that could be pertinent to this case, please contact us through Crimestoppers,” Director Alexander said. “…Violence of this nature, especially involving young people, is unacceptable.”
Mayor Gumbs began the news conference Thursday with a moment of silence and said she was “deeply saddened by the tragic shootings.” She said the South Fulton Police Department was “working around the clock to solve this matter.”
“My heart goes out to the families of these young people and the entire community as we grapple with this devastating loss,” Gumbs said.
Alexander, addressing apparent social media conversations about the shootings, said he was “aware of a number of rumors on social media regarding motives and circumstances” but that his department is “not in a position to confirm any of that, and we urge the public not to speculate.”
Among the questions posed at Thursday’s news conference were how many times the two teens were sH๏τ and why they were at the Fortune Point area, where they aren’t residents. Alexander again referred to rumors and speculation and said he would “prefer to deal in facts of the case.”
“We’re gonna get to the bottom of this, it’s just a matter of time,” he said.
Police said they do know that a third person was in the vehicle with the boys when they were killed. That person is not considered a suspect, but they’ve been questioned, and officers are using the witness testimony in the case.
Banneker High Principal Vincent Golden previously sent a letter home to families, informing the school community of the deaths. He said Carter was a 9th-grader at Banneker, while Smarr was in the 10th grade.
“There are times when it is necessary to communicate news that is painful for all of us. During those times, we must be prepared to support each other and our students,” he said in the message.
Golden told parents and guardians that they would provide resources for students who need help processing their grief. He also encouraged parents to talk with their children and encourage them to share their feelings.
As for the reward being offered in the case, officers said it has increased to $10,000. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers 404-577-8477.
