3 men sentenced for deadly Sweet 16 shooting in Douglasville
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - Three men convicted in a deadly shooting at a Douglasville Sweet 16 party in 2023 were sentenced to prison on Thursday.
Timothy Coleman, 20, 18-year-old Kingston Cottman, and 23-year-old Tahkel Marquise Beverly-Smart appeared in a Douglas County courtroom for a sentencing hearing.
Coleman and Cottman were found guilty of aggravated assault, violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of an illegal weapon in October.
Beverly-Smart was found guilty of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.
All three men were acquitted of murder charges.
Coleman received a total sentence of 320 years, including five years on each weapons charge, to be served consecutively, as well as 20 years for aggravated assault, gang activity, and criminal damage to property.
Kingston Cottman also received a 320-year sentence, with five-year terms on each weapons charge, running consecutively, and 20 years for aggravated assault, gang charges, and property damage.
Tahkel Beverly-Smart was sentenced to 20 years after being convicted on a gang-related charge.
Sweet 16 shooting in Douglasville kills 2 teens
On March 4, 2023, there were more than 100 people in attendance at a Sweet 16 on Sitka Drive in Douglasville. Eventually, the 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.
Two teens, 14-year-old Aj'anaye Hill and 15-year-old Samuel Moon, were killed. Several other teens were wounded. None of them were the intended target.
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.
Investigators alleged the shooting was meant to be "a gang hit" from a well-known group in Cobb County called DBG.
What led to Douglasville Sweet 16 shooting?
Chief Superior Court Judge William "Beau" McClain presided over the trial where evidence pointed to a confrontation sparked by social media remarks about a fellow gang member's suicide.
While attacking the young man they believed made the comments, they began firing into the crowd of kids with automatic weapons.
Police uncovered Flock camera footage that linked Coleman and Beverly-Smart to the crime scene in a 2008 Lexus ES350. Cellphone data placed the other defendants in the area at the time of the incident.
Other suspects in Douglasville Sweet 16 shooting
Convictions in sweet 16 party murder
A Douglas County jury has convicted the suspects involved in a deadly birthday party shooting. Timothy Coleman and Kingston Cottman are guilty of aggravated assault and violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act. Tahkel Beverly-smart was found guilty of violation of the street gang act but not assault.
Defendants Michael Williams, Noah Bradley and twin brothers Chase and Chance McDowell took plea deals for lesser charges earlier this year.
Williams was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 30 years, plus five years. Bradley was sentenced to 20 years, to serve five. The twins will be released after serving 12 months in confinement.