South Fulton police made an arrest Sunday in the shooting deaths of two teenagers near Fortune Point. Keyshawn Hughes, 14, was taken into custody without incident at a local church on Fairburn Road by the department's Fugitive Unit around 1:15 p.m.
Hughes is charged with killing 14-year-old Jeremiah Carter and 16-year-old J'mauri Smarr, both students at Banneker High School. Police say the shooting may have stemmed from an earlier argument. He'll be prosecuted as an adult, facing two counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and weapons charges.
The timing is heartbreaking. The arrest happened the same day as a balloon release held to honor the victims. J'mauri's sister described him as 'goofy and playful,' someone who just wanted to play and make people laugh. These are kids killing kids, and it's happening way too often in our communities. The fact that a 14-year-old is being charged with murdering two other teenagers should shake all of us.