On a late June evening in Stockbridge, Georgia, a dispute over a cellphone tragically escalated, leading to the death of Fitzgerald Carelus. The incident unfolded on June 30, 2022, at a Chevron gas station on Highway 138 West. Carelus, who was originally from New York, had been sweeping the area shortly before he was fatally shot.
Surveillance footage from the gas station captured the moments leading up to the shooting. A man, later identified as Jamil Hakim Gray, approached Carelus, pulling a suitcase. The two men engaged in a verbal altercation which reportedly centered around a cellphone. During the argument, Gray produced a handgun and fired at least one shot, striking Carelus in the stomach. Though initially able to walk and talk after being shot, Carelus later succumbed to his injuries at an Atlanta hospital. Both Carelus and Gray were reportedly staying at a nearby homeless encampment.
Following the shooting, the Henry County Police Department launched an investigation and identified Gray as the primary suspect, securing a warrant for his arrest on a murder charge. Authorities also discovered that Gray, who went by the street name 'Blue,' had an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault in Atlanta for allegedly shooting another homeless man. His criminal history also included a statutory rape charge from 2013 and a 2017 arrest for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
After weeks of surveillance, investigators tracked Gray to the Home2 Suites hotel in McDonough. On September 2, 2022, a five-hour standoff ensued with law enforcement, including the Henry County Sheriff's Office and SWAT teams. The hotel was evacuated, and after negotiations failed, the SWAT team entered the room where Gray was located with two other individuals, who were safely removed. Gray was taken into custody without further incident. He was subsequently charged with felony murder in connection with the death of Fitzgerald Carelus.
