DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA – Two former Fort Pierce youngsters were fatally shot on Sept. 20 in unincorporated Stone Mountain, Georgia in DeKalb County, according to the DeKalb County Police.
On Sept. 22, DeKalb County Police arrested Julian Ellis, 18, for allegedly fatally shooting Jamarion Rolle, 11, and Ja’khi Clark, 12 at an apartment complex off North Hairston Road.
Two women, ages 19 and 37, were also shot at the scene. They survived and received treatment for their injuries, according to police reports.
The preliminary investigation indicates that the shooting may be connected to a fight or disagreement which occurred earlier in the day. Detectives are actively working to determine the full circumstances surrounding this incident, according to police reports.
“We continue to extend our deepest condolences to the families of the young victims. We recognize that their loss is unimaginable, and we stand with those who are grieving during this difficult time,” DeKalb County Police said in a statement.
The boys’ mother, who identified herself as Janae Rolle in a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her sons’ funerals, told WSB, an Atlanta-based ABC TV station, that the incident stemmed from a football game on Sept. 17 and that the family of children involved in the fight came to a barbecue she was hosting at her home.
She told the television station that another fight broke out in the gathering, she heard gunfire and when she went outside, she found both of her sons with gunshot wounds.
The two boys were born and raised in Fort Pierce until they moved to Georgia, according to a report from WPBF Channel 25.
Ellis is in the DeKalb County Jail on no bond as of Sept. 25 for two counts of felony murder and four counts of aggravated assault with a weapon.
As of Sept. 25, about $6,180 was raised for funeral expenses for the two boys, according to the GoFundMe page.
“They were brothers, nephews, sons, and students,” their mother wrote in the page. “They both loved football whether they watched it or played it. They especially enjoyed FSU and the Kansas Chiefs. They worked hard in school and were both on the principal’s list (A honor roll). They also enjoyed reading their (B)ible, (R)oblox, and being with their siblings and family. Ja’khi also loved to cook and bake desserts and sweets.”
Locally, at least one organization is helping to raise funds. Grant’s Fresh Catch Food Truck at 105 N. 15th Street, Fort Pierce, is donating breakfast earnings starting Sept. 26 towards funeral expenses, according to a flyer by the restaurant.