In the early morning hours of June 17, 2024, the life of 17-year-old Messiah Siah Battle was tragically cut short in Clarkston, Georgia. Police responded to a call at the Springdale Glen Apartments on Brockett Road around 12:30 a.m. and found the male teenager lying on an outside stairwell with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of first responders, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
For months, the case remained under investigation with Clarkston police seeking help from the public to identify those responsible for the fatal shooting. A reward was offered for information that could lead to an arrest and indictment in the teen's death. The community was left searching for answers and justice for the young life lost.
A significant breakthrough in the case came on February 27, 2026, when the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of 20-year-old Hamid Dawd Waykuur in connection with Battle's murder. He was taken into custody at a residence on Cedarbrook Drive. Warrants allege that Waykuur shot and killed Battle while he was in a physical altercation with another juvenile co-defendant. Following the shooting, Waykuur and the juvenile reportedly fled the scene. Waykuur has been charged with malice murder and is being held without bond at the DeKalb County Jail.
