Justin Tucker, a 29-year-old male, was shot and killed on Tuesday night, April 14, 2026, outside the Hudson Northridge Apartments in Sandy Springs, Georgia, in the Atlanta metro area. Police were called to the 550 block of Northridge Parkway around 8:20 p.m. after reports of a person shot, and when officers arrived they found Tucker in the parking lot suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The confrontation reportedly unfolded as Tucker was trying to leave the apartment complex. His mother, Santina Dieng, later said he had been waiting for an Uber when an altercation turned deadly. According to arrest warrant details reported by local news outlets, Tucker had called the rideshare driver and urged him to hurry because he was arguing with “some guys.” When the driver arrived, he allegedly saw two armed men approach Tucker as Tucker moved toward the car.
Witness accounts described a terrifying final moment. One witness told investigators that Tucker was crouching or kneeling behind a car with his hands up, saying “please, please,” before multiple gunshots rang out. Another account said Tucker was either walking away or pleading for his life when he was shot. Investigators said Tucker was unarmed, and arrest warrant details indicated that a backpack he had with him was zipped closed.
Police identified the suspects as brothers Derrick Washington, 26, and Mason Washington, 20. Derrick Washington was arrested first after officers executed a search warrant at an apartment in the complex. Mason Washington was initially sought by police and was later taken into custody and booked into the Fulton County Jail. Both brothers were charged in connection with Tucker’s killing.
The charges reported against the brothers include murder, felony murder or malice murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Local reports stated that both men were in custody after the arrests, and the case was expected to move through the Fulton County court system. Some reports also said the brothers waived initial appearances after being taken into custody.
Investigators described the shooting as the result of a confrontation that escalated quickly. According to warrant details, Derrick Washington told officers that he and Tucker had exchanged words and agreed to fight near a breezeway. Derrick claimed he acted in self-defense, saying he believed Tucker had a gun and feared for himself and Mason. But investigators challenged that version, noting witness statements that Tucker had his hands up, was pleading, and was not armed when he was killed.
The warrants also described Mason Washington as being armed with a larger gun during the incident. One witness said Mason struck Tucker with the weapon before the shooting, while Derrick pointed a pistol at him. Police recovered multiple firearms from the apartment connected to the suspects, including an FN 509 9mm pistol, an AR-15-style pistol, and a Smith & Wesson M&P15. 223. Investigators also noted that shell casings were found at the scene.
Tucker’s family described him as loving, selfless, encouraging, and deeply devoted to the people around him. His uncle, Robert Destin, said Tucker cared deeply for his mother and wanted to take care of his family. His mother said he had dreams of opening a shoe shop and selling shoes, explaining that he loved sneakers and owned dozens of pairs. In the days after the arrests, relatives said they found some comfort knowing the accused men were off the streets, though the grief of losing Tucker remained overwhelming.
Authorities had not released a specific motive beyond the reported argument and confrontation at the apartment complex. The investigation remained active as police continued sorting through witness statements, physical evidence, and the circumstances leading up to the shooting.
