In the late summer evening of Labor Day, September 7, 2026, tragedy struck in LaGrange, Georgia, ending the promising life of 17-year-old Drevion Brewer. An African American teenager who had recently celebrated his graduation from Temple High School, Brewer was spending the holiday with his girlfriend and childhood friends. His family had moved from LaGrange to Villa Rica the previous year out of concern for gun violence, but on this night, violence found him back in his hometown.
He had plans to return home after the gathering and report to his new job the following day, a future that was abruptly cut short.
The fatal events unfolded at the Brittany Place of LaGrange apartments on Hogansville Road. Around 9:41 p.m., the sound of multiple gunshots shattered the night, prompting calls to 911. Investigators later learned that four individuals had been inside one of the apartments when the situation grew tense. A 16-year-old present became alarmed by someone's erratic behavior and stepped outside to call for help. Soon after, gunfire erupted. When police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Drevion Brewer outside an apartment, having succumbed to a fatal gunshot wound.
Inside the apartment, officers found another victim, 18-year-old Amarious Williams, who had been shot several times. Williams was rushed to a local hospital but did not survive his injuries. The 16-year-old who had made the 911 call was also found outside with a gunshot wound to his leg; his injuries were considered non-life-threatening, and he was flown to a trauma center for treatment. In the aftermath of the double homicide, the LaGrange Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division launched an investigation that quickly led to the identification and arrest of a suspect, Joshua Preston. He was taken into custody and charged with two counts of malice murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, with the possibility of more charges to follow. The case against Preston is in its early stages, and details about what specifically led to the violent confrontation remain under investigation as the community grieves the loss of two young men.
