7 Arrested In Fatal Gang Shooting Of 2 ATL Teens At Birthday Gathering

ATLANTA, GA — Seven men have been arrested in a July 2024 gang shooting that killed two 13-year-old boys and injured an 11-year-old child at a birthday celebration, Atlanta Police and the FBI announced Wednesday.

The trio were innocent bystanders who were celebrating Lamont Freeman's birthday on July 2 at a Spark Street apartment complex in the town's Oakland City community, APD Major Crimes Major Pete Malecki said at a news conference.

Freeman and Ja'Kody Davis were killed in the shooting, and police said their 11-year-old friend was injured.

Malecki noted the young boys were not involved in a gang and were "good kids."

"When gun violence touches this neighborhood and claims the lives of two 13-year-olds, it touches every Atlanta neighborhood," Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said.

These suspects have been arrested on various charges ;in connection with the deadly shooting: Ali Caldwell, 32; DeKeitheon Mobley, 24; Markus Crawford, 34; Quiyontay Sanders, 36; Reginald Thomas, 38; Richard Hollis, 24; and Tradon Crawford, 31.

Charges range from murder to aggravated assault to possession of marijuana.

FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said five of the seven suspects arrested were already in custody on unrelated charges at the Fulton County Jail. Tradon Crawford and Caldwell were arrested Tuesday, he said.

Tradon and Markus Crawford are brothers, Brown added.

"No family should have to bury their 13-year-old children," he said.

The shooting was the result of an alleged gang hit crafted by a suspected high-ranking gang member who is currently incarcerated at Hancock State Prison in Sparta, APD Violent Crime Interdiction Major Ralph Woolfolk said.

The prison inmate, who was not identified, used a contraband phone to plan the hit against a rival gang member and Atlanta rapper who was filming a music video near where the juveniles were located, Woolfolk added.

Police accused the rapper, who was not identified, of being part of the "hyper-violent gang" Goodfellas.

"The overall theme of this case is grown men playing gangsta that left two of our children in graves and our community in fear," Woolfolk said.

During the news conference, police said Freeman experienced being a teenager for nearly 30 minutes before he was killed.

Woolfolk said the rapper was not supposed to be in the area filming his music video.

"Lamont Freeman was allowed to be a 13-year-old for 27 minutes before gang violence ultimately took his life, gang violence that was orchestrated by adults, adults in our city, in cowardly acts of an Atlanta rapper," Woolfolk said before later sending a message to the rapper.

"You know who you are, and this team will work relentlessly to hold you and the persons that you are affiliated with responsible for those actions."

A $50,000 reward is being offered for additional information in connection with the case, Woolfolk said.