Nationwide — Drevion Brewer, an African American teen from LaGrange, Georgia, was killed in a Labor Day shooting that also killed another teenager and wounded a third person. Brewer, 17, had recently graduated from Temple High School, started working, and was making plans for his future when the shooting happened Monday night at a LaGrange apartment complex.
The shooting happened at the Brittany Place of LaGrange apartments on Hogansville Road. Police were called around 9:41 p.m. after someone reported hearing multiple gunshots. When officers arrived, they found Brewer dead outside an apartment. Another victim was found inside with gunshot wounds and taken to a hospital, where he later died. The Troup County Coroner’s Office identified the victims as a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old. Police identified Brewer as the victim found outside and later identified the other victim as Amarious Williams, according to 11Alive.
Investigators said four people had been inside the apartment before the shooting. A 16-year-old boy at the gathering reportedly became concerned after someone inside began acting erratically. He stepped outside and called 911. Gunfire broke out soon afterward, and the teenager was shot in the leg. He was flown to a trauma center for treatment, but police said his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Brewer had been spending Labor Day with his girlfriend and childhood friends. His mother, Alexis, said he planned to return home afterward and report to work Tuesday. She described him as a loving young man who was happy, close to his family and friends, and had a bright future ahead of him.
The family had moved from LaGrange to Villa Rica the previous year because of concerns about gun violence. The shooting has left Brewer’s family grieving just months after he reached the major milestone of graduating high school. His death also came as he was beginning his working life and planning what he wanted to do next.
Authorities later arrested Joshua Preston in connection with the shooting. He faces two counts of malice murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Police have not released details about what led to the confrontation or why the gunfire began. Police said more charges could be filed as investigators continue working to determine what happened inside and outside the apartment. The investigation remains ongoing.