6th person arrested for Sweet 16 birthday party fatal shooting in Douglasville
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - Another arrest has been announced in connection to the shooting that killed two teens and injured several others attending a Sweet 16 birthday party in Douglasville in March 2023.
Late Wednesday night, Douglas County Sheriff Tim Pounds led the apprehension of 21-year-old Michael Arthur Williams.
While preparing for the upcoming trial of the other suspects, DCSO investigators, along with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, uncovered new evidence pointing to the involvement of Williams, who investigators always suspected to have been involved.
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Suspect was attending school
Williams, who had been attending school in Albany, was taken into custody and transported to the Douglas County Jail to face a slew of charges related to the incident.
He faces charges of 2 counts of murder, 2 counts of participating in a criminal street gang, 10 counts of aggravated battery, and 11 counts of aggravated assault.
The shooting on Sitka Drive in Douglasville claimed the lives of 15-year-old Samuel Moon and 14-year-old Ajanaye Hill. Sheriff Pound says a total of 10 teenagers and young adults were shot during the incident.
Samuel Moon, 15, and Aj’anaye Hill, 14, were shot and killed when a gunman opened fire on attendees at a sweet 16 party in Douglasville on March 5, 2023.
Previous suspects arrested
Previous arrests include Tahkel Marquise Beverly-Smart, Kingston Cottman, Timothy Lamar Coleman Jr., Chase Terrence McDowell, and Chance Terrell McDowell.
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Sheriff Pounds praised the diligent work of DCSO investigators and the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for their relentless pursuit of justice in this case. He emphasized the commitment of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to the safety of the community, vowing to employ every available resource to bring all those involved to justice.
What happened on March 5, 2023
More than 100 people were apparently attending the Sweet 16 birthday party at the home on Skitka Drive. Eventually, attendees were kicked out by the homeowners after discovering some of the teenagers were smoking marijuana. Shortly after the attendees were told to leave, the gunfire started.
Homeowner Chrystal Walker-Cherry told FOX 5 after the shooting that the shooter or shooters were not on her party list because they waited in a car up the road. She said they didn't know the address of the house for the party and were waiting for the children to leave.