In the late summer evening of August 6, 2023, the life of 15-year-old Tayshawn Omari Dean was tragically cut short in Kennesaw, Georgia. A Black male, Tayshawn was at the Cobblestone Landing Apartments on Cobb Parkway when a gunshot broke the calm around 8:45 p.m. Acworth police officers who were dispatched to the scene discovered the young man unresponsive, having sustained a gunshot wound. First aid was rendered at the scene before he was rushed to Kennestone Hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced deceased.
The investigation into the shooting led to the immediate arrest of 22-year-old Lorenz McNeill, also a Black male from Kennesaw. McNeill, who was described as a very good friend of the victim, was taken into custody at the scene. The circumstances of the shooting, as detailed in the arrest warrant, suggest a tragic accident. McNeill allegedly aimed a semiautomatic handgun at Tayshawn and pulled the trigger without first ensuring the weapon was unloaded. The single shot struck Tayshawn in the back.
Initially, McNeill was charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct and was held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond. Though investigators believe the shooting may have been accidental, the legal process moved forward. In February 2024, a Cobb County grand jury indicted McNeill on charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct, and an additional felony charge of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. His bond was later set at $27,720.
Tayshawn was remembered as a beautiful soul with a compassionate heart. His funeral services were held on August 19, 2023, at the Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church, and he was laid to rest in the New Park Cemetery. He is survived by his parents, Dasha Frazier and Terrance Dean, as well as numerous siblings, grandparents, and other relatives and friends who mourn his untimely passing.
