In the late hours of a May evening in 2016, a graduation party in Jackson, Georgia, turned into a scene of tragedy. Cederrius Hastings, a 16-year-old male, was fatally shot in what was described as a drive-by style shooting. Three other teenagers were also wounded in the incident. Hastings, a student at Griffin High School, was an honor roll student and a member of the school's football team. He was also the young father of an 8-month-old baby.
The celebration was winding down, with about 150 people, mostly teenagers, beginning to disperse when gunfire erupted from a passing vehicle. Hastings was struck and, despite efforts to save him, later succumbed to his injuries at an Atlanta hospital. His family and friends were left devastated, remembering him as a positive individual with dreams of playing college football and becoming a chef. The shooting was not believed to be a random act of violence, but rather the result of a dispute between student-athletes from Jackson and Griffin.
In the days following the shooting, the Butts County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests of two suspects. Christopher 'Ray Ray' Walker, 19, of Flovilla, and Gemarius 'Gee' Oneal, 19, of Griffin, were taken into custody. Both men were charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Investigators stated that the shooting was not gang-related but stemmed from an argument. They also indicated that they were looking for more than one shooter, as shell casings from at least three different firearms were recovered from the scene. The investigation continued with the expectation of more arrests.
