In the midst of a city under a stay-at-home order, a family dispute in a southwest Atlanta home escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 16-year-old Deonte Roberts. An African American male, affectionately known as 'Tae,' Deonte was a high school student and basketball player from Maryland who was in Atlanta at the time. The teenager's life was cut short on the evening of April 22, 2020, when a heated argument with his stepfather, 42-year-old Bernie Hargrove, turned violent.
The
conflict began earlier that day when Deonte expressed his intention to leave the house, defying the city's shelter-in-place directive. His mother and stepfather insisted he remain at home, leading to a tense disagreement. Deonte left the residence but returned later that evening, his anger apparently having intensified. He reportedly kicked in the door of the house, and a physical altercation with Hargrove ensued. The fight culminated in Hargrove shooting his stepson in the chest.
First responders arrived to find Deonte with a serious gunshot wound. He was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead. In the wake of the shooting, Atlanta police arrested Bernie Hargrove. He was subsequently charged with felony murder and booked into the Fulton County Jail. During his initial court appearance, Hargrove was denied bond.
