Teen, 14, Faces Adult Murder Charges in South Fulton Double Homicide

South Fulton police arrested 14-year-old Keyshawn Hughes without incident last Sunday, taken into custody during a targeted operation by the department's Fugitive Unit around 1:15 p.m. He is charged in the shooting deaths of two classmates, and prosecutors plan to try him as an adult.

Hughes is accused of shooting and killing 14-year-old Jeremiah Carter and 16-year-old J'mauri Smarr near Fortune Point. Police said the teens were shot March 17 in a residential subdivision. South Fulton officers responded to the 4200 block of Fortune Point just before 8:30 p.m. after receiving reports of gunfire, finding Carter and Smarr suffering from gunshot wounds; the pair were taken to the hospital, where they later died. Both were students at Banneker High School in College Park. Officials previously said that while the shooting may have stemmed from a prior dispute, a motive has not been confirmed.

Hughes is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of felony murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 18. He faces several charges, including felony murder, and will be tried as an adult.

The arrest unfolded with deliberate precision. Hughes was tracked down at a local church on Fairburn Road. A spokesperson confirmed Hughes was taken into custody during a traffic stop after the service ended, then transported to the South Fulton Police Department's Roosevelt Precinct, where Criminal Investigations Division personnel assumed the investigation.

Dr. Cedric Alexander, Interim Public Safety Director, said: "This arrest reflects the renewed focus, energy, and accountability our department is bringing to violent crime. Our officers and investigators are utilizing proactive, intelligence-led policing strategies to move swiftly, act decisively, and ensure those responsible for these acts are brought to justice. This is the level of commitment our community deserves, and it is the standard we will continue to uphold."

The victims' school confirmed the loss directly to families. According to reporting from 11Alive, Banneker High School Principal Vincent Golden sent a letter home notifying the school community, noting that Carter was a 9th-grader and Smarr was in the 10th grade. The same day Hughes was arrested, loved ones gathered at Welcome All Park in South Fulton for a balloon release in remembrance of both teens.

Chrisiyah Smarr, J'mauri's sister, described her brother in terms the true crime community hears too rarely: a teenager who was simply alive. "He was just very goofy and playful. All he wanted to do was play. He'd jump in the car with me and go places. He just loved going out the house."

District 4 Councilmember Jaceey Sebastian responded to the arrest directly: "It was gun violence and a tragedy that no community should have to endure. Now that law enforcement has worked diligently in identifying and capturing a suspect, I have full confidence that the criminal justice system will provide justice for the victims' families."

Police have not confirmed what led up to the fatal shooting in the Cooks Landing subdivision, and the investigation remains active. Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the South Fulton Police Department. The case now moves toward adult court, where a 14-year-old will face a charge sheet that includes two counts of felony murder for the deaths of two teenagers who should have been sitting in class at Banneker.