In the early hours of a Tuesday in March 2018, a family dispute in Fairburn, Georgia, ended in tragedy. Troy Fountain, a 54-year-old man, was shot and killed at his father's home in south Fulton County. The incident unfolded around 3 a.m. on March 27, 2018, when Fountain went to the residence of his 81-year-old father, Lance Fountain.
According to police reports at the time, Troy Fountain, who was estranged from his father, began throwing rocks at the house and attempted to force his way inside. In response to the commotion, Lance Fountain discharged a firearm through the front door, striking his son in the head. Troy Fountain was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement officials stated that Lance Fountain had not been charged with any crime. The case was turned over to the Chattahoochee Hills Police Department for investigation. Authorities indicated they were looking into whether the shooting was an act of self-defense. Police Chief Stoney Mathis mentioned that the father had previously filed a report against his son for theft and that there was a history of drug use. Lance Fountain's wife and another adult child of his were present in the home at the time of the incident.
Online records and news archives available in the years following the event do not contain any information about charges being filed against Lance Fountain, nor do they detail the final outcome of the police investigation. The case, which highlighted the complexities of domestic disputes and self-defense claims, left a family grappling with a devastating loss. An obituary for Troy Fountain confirmed his passing and memorial service details, while a later obituary for his daughter, Ashlie Lauren Fountain in 2021, listed him as predeceased and named Lance Fountain as her grandfather.
