In a tragic turn of events on the evening of April 14, 2026, Justin Tucker, a 29-year-old man, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Hudson Northridge apartments in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The incident unfolded around 8:20 p.m. following what authorities believe was a confrontation between Tucker and two brothers, Derrick and Mason Washington, who also resided at the apartment complex.
Tucker’s mother, Santina Dieng, later shared that her son was waiting for an Uber outside his apartment when an altercation broke out, leading to the fatal shooting.
According to witness statements provided to the police, the dispute escalated quickly. One witness reported hearing one of the suspects accuse Tucker of stealing from him, a claim Tucker denied. Another man then reportedly emerged from an apartment with a rifle, pointed it at Tucker, and struck him with it. An Uber driver who was at the scene told officers that Tucker was begging for his life just before both men allegedly fired their weapons. Investigators later confirmed that Tucker was unarmed and witnesses stated he had his hands up in a pleading manner before he was shot multiple times. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.
The Sandy Springs Police Department swiftly identified the suspects, 26-year-old Derrick Washington and his 20-year-old brother, Mason Washington, thanks to witness statements. Derrick was arrested at his apartment on the night of the shooting. Mason initially fled the scene, prompting a search that involved K-9 units. He was apprehended and taken into custody by the morning of April 16.
Both brothers face charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Arrest warrants revealed that Derrick Washington claimed he shot Tucker in self-defense, believing Tucker was armed. However, this was contradicted by evidence and witness accounts. Dieng remembers her son as a loving and caring person who was a "shoe fanatic" with dreams of opening his own shoe shop. While grieving, she expressed gratitude for the quick actions of the Sandy Springs Police Department in arresting the men accused of killing her son.
