Henry County man sentenced to 30 years for basketball court shooting
Anthony Armstrong
MCDONOUGH, Ga. - A Georgia man will spend decades in prison for opening fire at two people during an argument at a local basketball court.
A Henry County jury found 20-year-old Anthony Armstrong guilty of two counts of aggravated assault, one count of terroristic acts, and two counts of possession of a possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony,
The charges stem from an incident in March 2020 at a basketball court at the Creekwood Station Subdivision in McDonough, Georgia.
On that day, authorities say Armstrong, who is described as a known gang member, got into an argument with Christopher Reiner and his friends on the court. When Reiner tried to drive away with his girlfriend, police say Armstrong pulled out a gun and fire seven shots.
One of the shots went through the car headrest and hit Reiner in the head, causing him to go unconscious and crash.
Medics rushed Reiner to a nearby hospital, where he survived his injuries.
"This victim is lucky to be alive after being shot in the back of the head. Had this bullet taken a different path, we would be here for a murder trial," District Attorney Darius Pattillo said. "Mr. Armstrong brazenly opened fire in broad daylight in a neighborhood and risked the safety of everyone in the community. We are pleased to see justice served for his actions.
After his conviction, a superior court judge sentenced Armstrong to 30 years with the first 20 in prison.