In the late hours of a Wednesday evening in Clarkston, Georgia, a frantic search for a missing one-year-old boy took a tragic and violent turn, leading to the death of 60-year-old Aziz Hassan. On November 10, 2021, at the Brannon Hill Condominiums, a group of people, including relatives of the missing child, were going door-to-door in a desperate attempt to find him. The child, Blaise Barnett, had been in his parents' SUV when it was stolen earlier that day.
The search party, which included 38-year-old Delarius Miller and his 34-year-old sister Santana Miller, grew agitated as they moved through the condominium complex. Residents later reported hearing loud shouting and aggressive knocking on doors throughout the night. It was during this tense atmosphere that a confrontation occurred between the searchers and Aziz Hassan. Accounts of what precisely transpired differ. The Millers claimed that Hassan, who was armed, had fired at them first. However, members of Hassan's household told investigators that he believed the group was attempting to steal from his vehicle and only opened fire after being threatened. Prosecutors later stated that Hassan's gun was holstered when he was shot.
The altercation ended with Aziz Hassan being shot and killed; he was found deceased at the top of a stairwell outside his condominium. Police quickly determined that Hassan had no involvement in the kidnapping of the child. In the aftermath, Delarius Miller and Santana Miller were arrested and charged with murder. Santana Miller was subsequently denied bond. The missing child, Blaise Barnett, was found safe and unharmed the following day. Later, a 17-year-old was arrested in connection with the kidnapping.
