In the early morning hours of October 15, 2021, the life of 17-year-old Devan Markette Jackson, a male from Lithonia, was tragically cut short in Stone Mountain, Georgia. DeKalb County police were called to a residence on Mount Vista Road around 4 a.m., where they discovered Jackson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Investigations into the young man's death revealed that the shooting occurred during a fight involving several people at the Stone Mountain home. According to Jackson's mother, her son was the victim of a robbery when the fatal shots were fired. He was a senior at Stephenson High School and an active member of the JROTC, with dreams of enlisting in the U.S. Navy after graduation.
A few days after the incident, authorities made an arrest in connection with the case. On October 20, 2021, 18-year-old Cortez Damon Florence of Lithonia was taken into custody and charged with malice murder. He is currently being held at the DeKalb County Jail without bond.
Despite the arrest, Devan Jackson's family, particularly his mother, believes that the individual responsible for firing the gun that killed her son remains at large. While she acknowledges the arrested suspect's involvement in the robbery, she contends that he was not the shooter. The family continues to seek what they consider full justice for the loss of the promising young man.
