In a tragic accident on October 5 outside a Dave & Buster’s in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Elijah DeWitt, 18, was fatally shot. Authorities now claim that two teenagers, who were hunting for a target to steal from on the night of the murder are now accused of shooting the popular high schooler to death.

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Who is Elijah DeWitt?

Elijah DeWitt was an 18-year-old football player at Jefferson High School. Cam Newton, the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers, had already noticed him. Sadly, on October 5, 2022, DeWitt was fatally shot in the parking lot of a Dave & Buster’s at Sugarloaf Mall in Lawrenceville, a suburb about 30 miles outside of Atlanta.

Two days later, two Lawrenceville residents, Kemare Bryan, 18, and Chandler Richardson, 19, were detained at a gas station in South Carolina. The suspects were returned to Georgia where they will each be tried on four counts, including felony murder, murder with malice, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies.

The motive was not evident up until now. Police claimed later on that the suspects’ messages explained their intentions and their reason for being there.

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According to the police, Bryan and Richardson only recently met the victim before they allegedly killed him in what they are calling a “surprise attack.”
Police claim that Bryan and Richardson approached DeWitt and his group of friends on October 3rd, just days before the murder, to inquire about purchasing drugs from them.

According to the authorities, Bryan and Richardson were back at the Dave & Buster’s on October 5 when they saw DeWitt and a friend he was there with. Apparently, after Richardson and Bryan attacked DeWitt, the unarmed teenager made an attempt to fend them off, at which point Bryan drew his gun and shot him.

According to FOX 5 Atlanta, Richardson entered a not-guilty plea to all charges last week. Bryan had already entered a not-guilty plea last month.

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DeWitt’s parents have said in a statement that they hope this lawsuit “will hold the defendants responsible for their share of the responsibility for Elijah’s death and prevent another family from going through what they have.”

The high school football star’s parents are suing the mall in which he was murdered, alleging that owners disregarded significant safety dangers to their son’s disadvantage.