On Valentine's Day in 2021, a burst of gunfire outside a home on Uniwattee Trail in Dacula, Georgia, claimed the life of 20-year-old Faith Burns of Loganville. The Gwinnett County woman was found with at least one gunshot wound and later died at a local hospital. The incident, which occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m., was initially described by police as being related to a domestic altercation.
The investigation quickly led authorities to identify 17-year-old Damia Mitchell as a primary
suspect. Warrants were issued for her arrest on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a person under 18. Mitchell turned herself in to the police on February 16, just two days after the fatal shooting. Investigators determined that while Burns and Mitchell did not know each other directly, Burns was acquainted with Mitchell's ex-girlfriend. Prosecutors revealed that Mitchell had sent text messages to her ex-girlfriend threatening to shoot up her house. Burns was tragically at the ex-girlfriend's residence when Mitchell and four other teenage girls arrived and opened fire on the home.
In the months that followed, four other teenage girls were arrested in connection with Burns' death, bringing the total number of suspects to five. These additional arrests included two 16-year-old girls from Snellville and two 17-year-old girls from Loganville, who all faced charges of felony murder and aggravated assault. The prosecution contended that the shooting was a gang-related act stemming from a former romantic relationship.
In a significant development in the case, Damia Mitchell was sentenced in June 2022 to 140 years in prison for her role in the murder of Faith Burns. Prosecutors stated that Mitchell had fired up to 19 shots at the residence. Despite her family's claims that she was not the shooter and had no prior criminal record, the court delivered the lengthy sentence.
