A Fourth of July celebration turned into a tragedy when 16-year-old Rasheedah Evans was killed inside her College Park home. The young female was sitting on her living room couch watching a movie when a stray bullet, believed to be from celebratory gunfire, came through the wall and struck her. The incident occurred on a Saturday night, abruptly ending a day of festivities with a senseless loss of life.
Her family was home at the time and was devastated to find her unresponsive.
The investigation into the honor roll student's death quickly focused on the possibility of celebratory gunfire from a neighboring property. Fulton County police identified 23-year-old Marcel Smith as a person of interest in the case, believing he was part of a group discharging firearms and fireworks to mark the holiday. Initially, authorities only wished to question Smith to confirm details of the unintentional shooting, but he did not come forward. Another man, 35-year-old Curtis Cohen, was also questioned but was cleared by investigators.
After a few days, with her family pleading for him to cooperate with law enforcement, Marcel Smith surrendered to the Fulton County Jail. He was subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct. Investigators believe he was responsible for the accidental shooting that led to the death of his neighbor, whom his attorney claimed he thought of like a sister. Following his arrest, a judge set his bond at $25,000. The family of Rasheedah Evans, while grieving the profound loss of a bright and beloved young woman, expressed a sentiment of forgiveness towards Smith, who was also a friend of the family.
