In Lithia Springs, Georgia, on a Saturday afternoon in November, a domestic situation escalated into a fatal encounter that ended the life of 27-year-old Antonio Ellison Jr. The events of November 14, 2015, unfolded when Shawn A. Clark, a 29-year-old former Atlanta police officer, accompanied a woman to a residence on Winding Creek Drive to retrieve her children and personal items.
An argument broke out between Clark and Ellison, who was at the home.
The verbal dispute quickly turned into a physical altercation. At some point during the fight, Clark produced a handgun and shot Ellison. After the shooting, Clark fled the scene. Witnesses at the location were able to identify Clark to the authorities. Later that same evening, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Shawn Clark was located in Union City and arrested. He was subsequently charged with murder and held at the Douglas County Adult Detention Center without bond.
In February 2018, Shawn Clark stood trial for the death of Antonio Ellison. He claimed self-defense, but prosecutors argued that the situation did not warrant the use of deadly force and that Clark had escalated the minor physical altercation. The evidence presented during the trial, including a post-arrest interview, supported the prosecution's argument. A jury found Clark guilty of malice murder and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to life in prison for the killing.
