Nationwide — Ja’hki Clark, 12, and Ja’marion Rolle, 11, two African American brothers from DeKalb County, Georgia, were sadly killed in a shooting outside their apartment Sunday, just days after a fight following a football game. Their mother said the shooting happened while the family was gathered for a barbecue and that the violence began after people connected to the earlier fight came to their home.
The shooting happened around 6 p.m. at an apartment complex on North Hairston Road. The boys’ mother said a fight had broken out after a football game on Thursday involving the children. According to WSB-TV, she said relatives of those children returned to the family’s home Sunday while they were having the barbecue. Another confrontation followed, and the situation quickly escalated into gunfire. After hearing the shots, the mother rushed outside and found Ja’hki wounded. She also found Ja’marion with a gunshot wound to the head. Ja’marion died at the scene, while Ja’hki was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Two other family members were also wounded in the shooting. The boys’ mother said her 17-year-old niece, who is pregnant, was shot three times. The teenager’s mother was also shot. Both were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and needed surgery. The family was particularly concerned about the pregnant teenager and her unborn baby following the shooting.
The mother said the suspects fled after the gunfire. She told investigators that she had video that could help with the case and provided it to police. DeKalb County authorities had not announced any arrests or released an update on possible suspects at the time of the report. Investigators have asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact police. While the family believes the violence was connected to Thursday’s football game fight, authorities have not publicly confirmed a motive.
The shooting has also left two local schools dealing with the loss of their students. Ja’hki had recently started sixth grade at Stone Mountain Middle School, while Ja’marion was a fifth-grade student at Stone Mill Elementary School. Both schools told families that grief counselors would be available during the week to help students cope. In a letter, school officials encouraged parents to talk with their children about the deaths and allow them to express their feelings and reactions. The investigation remains ongoing as the boys’ family and school communities mourn their deaths.