In the early morning hours of November 28, 2017, the Duncan Park neighborhood in Buford, Georgia, was shattered by the sound of gunshots. When police arrived at the scene around 3 a.m., they discovered 16-year-old Alexander Scott in front of the neighborhood clubhouse with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local medical center for surgery. Hours later, just before 7 a.m., a second victim was found deceased inside a vehicle on a dirt road not far from the initial scene. The deceased was identified as 20-year-old Blake Schulte of Buford, a male who had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the waist.
The investigation into the double shooting unfolded over the following months, revealing a complex and tragic series of events. It was determined that Blake Schulte and his twin brother, Tyler Schulte, had arranged to meet Alexander Scott and a friend at the clubhouse. According to Scott's account to a Gwinnett County detective, the purpose of the meeting was for him to purchase marijuana from the Schulte brothers.
Conflicting stories emerged about what transpired next. Scott claimed that after being told to look at the bag of marijuana, he heard someone yell 'give it up,' and was subsequently shot in the back of the head as he tried to run. In contrast, Tyler Schulte told investigators that he only fired his weapon after hearing a gunshot originate from the car in which Scott and his friend had arrived. In the ensuing chaos, Blake Schulte was fatally wounded. His body was later found in his brother Tyler's car.
The investigation led to the arrest of Blake's own twin brother. On January 20, 2018, Tyler Schulte was taken into custody and charged with murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a controlled substance. He had briefly fled to Ohio before returning to his grandmother's house in Buford, where he surrendered to authorities.
Further arrests followed in early February. Michael R. Connor, 19, of Lawrenceville, and Alexander Scott, the surviving 16-year-old victim from Doraville, were also taken into custody. Both were charged with felony murder, criminal attempt to purchase marijuana, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Connor faced an additional charge of aggravated assault. Police believe that an armed robbery precipitated the shootout that resulted in Blake Schulte's death, and under Georgia's party to a crime statute, all three suspects could be charged with murder.
