On a summer afternoon in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 24, 2021, a day of family leisure at a public pool turned into a scene of tragedy. Jakari Bird Dillard, a 17-year-old African American male, was at the Anderson Park Recreation Center with his siblings and aunt when a dispute broke out. The argument, reportedly over a pool game, did not initially involve Jakari. However, the verbal altercation quickly escalated, and a gunshot rang out.
Jakari was struck by the bullet and, despite being rushed to a hospital, succumbed to his injuries. The senseless act of violence happened in front of his young siblings, who ranged in age from 3 to 18. His mother, who was very protective and worried about gun violence, arrived at the scene before the ambulance to find her son bleeding from a chest wound.
Jakari was a rising senior at Life Christian Academy, looking forward to his senior prom. His life was particularly precious to his family, as he had bravely endured and survived nine heart surgeries. The shooting prompted the City of Atlanta to temporarily close all 12 of its public outdoor pools to conduct an operational assessment and implement new safety measures, including the installation of metal detectors at some locations.
The investigation into Jakari's death led Atlanta police to identify a suspect. A murder warrant was issued for Fernando Leanthony Felton. After a nearly eight-month search, the 19-year-old Felton was apprehended in March 2022 in East Point by the Atlanta Police Department's fugitive unit with assistance from federal officers. He was taken into custody and held at the Fulton County Jail without bond.
In June 2022, a Fulton County grand jury indicted Fernando Felton on multiple charges, including murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a pistol or revolver by a person under 18. As the legal proceedings against Felton began, Jakari's family continued to mourn their loss and advocate for justice, their lives forever changed by the tragic and sudden end to a promising young life.
