Murder trial of Ace Benton in 2022 DeKalb County gas station shooting

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Nearly three years after 28-year-old John Battle was killed in a shootout outside a DeKalb County gas station, his mother is preparing to face one of the suspects in court.

The trial for Ace Benton, who prosecutors say was involved in the deadly March 2022 shooting, is scheduled to begin Monday.

Covington Highway deadly shooting

The backstory:

Battle was killed the night of March 4, 2022, just before 7:30 p.m., at a Shell gas station on the 6400 block of Covington Highway. Investigators said a group of people began arguing outside the station. As Battle, a female companion, and his 1-year-old daughter tried to leave in a vehicle, the group opened fire. Battle was struck and crashed the vehicle down the road. His daughter and the woman were not seriously hurt.

Surveillance video captured the chaotic scene. Witnesses told FOX 5 Atlanta that more than 80 shots were fired in what began as an attempted robbery.

One of the alleged shooters, who was just 14 at the time, took a plea deal as a minor. Benton, who was also charged in the shooting, reportedly turned down several plea deals and is now set to stand trial.

In the years since the shooting, the Shell station has come under new management.

Mother of John Battle ready for justice

What they're saying:

Battle’s mother, who asked not to be named due to safety concerns, has spent the past three years pushing for justice. "Since this happened, I have been fighting for justice with DeKalb Courthouse and District Attorney's Office," she said.

"The gas station was full of people, but for some reason he was the only one that got hit," his mother recalled.

John Battle (Used with permission from family)

"It’s really going to be hurtful," Battle’s mother said of the upcoming proceedings. "They’re going to be showing the pictures of him, autopsies of him when they found him down the road in the car, slumped over."

Battle’s daughter is now four years old. Though she has no memory of that night, her grandmother says she misses her father. "Losing my son has lost my confidant, my friend, my investor. I mean, he was really good with the stock market," she said.

Battle’s mother says getting to this point has been an uphill battle—one that included writing to the state House, the governor, the district attorney, and even the U.S. attorney. "I had to write the state House, the governor, the district attorney. I wrote the U.S. attorney," she said.

John Battle (Used with permission from family)

Still, Battle’s mother says she will be at the trial—ready to see her son’s accused killer held accountable. "Then I’ll be able to grieve. I haven’t grieved in three years. It’s just too much because I’ve been fighting for justice," she said.

Murder trial of Ace Benton

What's next:

The trial is set to begin Monday, though officials at the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office caution that other cases on the docket could delay proceedings once again.

SEE ALSO:

• Teen arrested in gunfight at Covington Highway gas station that killed bystander, injured others
• Activists call for end to violence in response to deadly shootings at metro Atlanta gas stations