In the summer of 2022, on what should have been a festive Father's Day, 17-year-old Jamarquez McCrary's life was tragically cut short. The young man, known to some by the nickname 'Fat,' had recently graduated and was making plans to start his own business. On June 19th, in the middle of the afternoon, violence erupted at the Villages at Carver apartment complex on Moury Avenue in southwest Atlanta.
Police responded to a call of a person shot and discovered a grim scene.
Both Jamarquez and his friend, 18-year-old Nyriek Olds, were found in a breezeway, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of fire and medical officials who arrived at the scene, both teenagers were pronounced dead. The double homicide cast a dark shadow over the community, leaving friends and family to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of two young lives. In the days following the shooting, Atlanta police released a Ring camera video showing a person of interest running from one of the apartment buildings in broad daylight, hoping the public could help identify the individual.
The investigation into the deaths of Jamarquez and Nyriek continued for months. Then, on December 6, 2022, an arrest was made. Darshae Barnes was taken into custody and charged in connection with the deaths of the two teens. The charges against Barnes were extensive, including two counts of murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder. Additionally, Barnes faced charges of possession of a firearm by a minor and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
A year after the tragic shooting, on June 19, 2023, family and friends gathered at the same apartment complex to hold a vigil and remember Jamarquez and Nyriek. In a devastating turn of events, gunfire once again rang out during the remembrance. The very act of honoring the two teens became the scene of another homicide, compounding the grief and trauma for the community. During this second incident, a dispute led to more violence, leaving one person dead and another hospitalized.
